Razorblade Kisses
by bruised-tears
Summary: COMPLETE soon after voldemort is destroyed,draco malfoy & ginny weasley are forced to share a house for their survival even tho they hate each other and what starts out as a reluctant friendship grows to something more.
1. First Encounter

Chapter One – First Encounter  
  
I want you to want me  
  
I need you to need me  
  
I'd love you to love me  
  
I'm beggin' you to beg me  
  
"Not on your life... no way... definitely not happening... I don't care how much danger I am in!"  
  
Ginerva Weasley raged, her usually warm brown eyes blazing with anger as she paced around Dumbledore's office. She turned to face him, hands on her hips;  
  
"Not a chance; I refuse!"  
  
The amusement in his sparkling blue eyes enraged her further as she slumped down in the comfortable chintz chair before his large oak desk.  
  
"Don't fool yourself into thinking I'm at all happy about this either, Weasley."  
  
Ginny shot a dirty look to her left where Draco Malfoy was slouched elegantly in his chair; long legs encased in black leather pants stretching out before him.  
  
"Shut up Malfoy, I don't recall asking for your opinion."  
  
She snapped, crossing her long legs neatly and turning back to Dumbledore;  
  
"Why do I have to do this?"  
  
She whined, her anger fading fast; leaving her tired and disheartened, tears brimming in her widened chocolate brown eyes.  
  
"You know perfectly well, Ginny. For your own safety; you have to have a fully trained Auror living with you, at least until the Order can find out why you were both targeted in the first place."  
  
Draco, who had been eyeing Ginny's long tanned legs emerging from the tight little denim skirt she was wearing with interest, looked up;  
  
"And how long is that likely to take?"  
  
Dumbledore turned his thoughtful gaze to the young man staring insolently back at him; cool grey eyes cold and blank.  
  
"As yet; we don't know."  
  
He replied simply, raising a bushy grey eyebrow as Draco snorted and turned away.  
  
"So you're telling me that I am going to be stuck in some house with him and you don't even know how long for?"  
  
Ginny cried, infamous Weasley temper flaring once more as she rudely pointed at Draco with a long finger ending in a red-wine coloured fingernail. Instead of replying with a crushing comment which Ginny had expected, Draco merely continued to gaze at her; his stormy grey eyes taking in the smooth bronzed cleavage that was barely held in by a white corset top. He wrinkled his brows as he tried to remember if her body had been that interesting at Hogwarts.  
  
"What are you staring at?"  
  
She demanded, glaring at him as he raised a white-blond eyebrow at her question. Ginny scowled as a flush crept up her freckled cheeks, and her eyes narrowed at him as she glowered defiantly back at him. Dumbledore made a small noise in the back of his throat and the pair looked up at him as though only just remembering he was there.  
  
"Are we agreed?"  
  
Ginny shot a poisonous look at Draco before admitting defeat;  
  
"Fine."  
  
Ginny groaned, slumping back into her chair and sighing;  
  
"Now wait one goddamn minute. I don't think I'm very happy about my youngest sister sharing a house for god knows how long with him."  
  
Dumbledore's eyes snapped over to the door as Ron Weasley barged in, closely followed by his best friend and fiancée.  
  
"Oh Ron, do shut up... I think I can handle Malfoy on my own. I'm not a child anymore."  
  
Ginny grumbled as her brother began to rant about all Draco's bad points, none of which either Dumbledore or Draco could deny.  
  
"I assure you, Mr Weasley; no harm will come to your sister. She passed the Preliminary Auror Training with flying colours. And I assume you haven't forgotten the time she hexed you for punching young Mr Thomas?"  
  
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as Ron flushed at the memory; he'd been dancing to lessons for days afterwards, every now and then leaping to his feet and letting out a verse or two of opera.  
  
"Of course."  
  
He mumbled, shooting Ginny a reproachful look as she giggled, her eyes glazing over at the memory; she had received a Howler from her mother but it had all been worth it to see Ron standing on the Griffindor table and singing at the top of his voice during dinner. Dumbledore continued to reassure Ron until he grudgingly agreed as long as he could visit once a week. Shuffling out of the door after Harry and Hermione, he threw Draco a warning look followed by a string of mumbled curses before slamming the door shut behind him.  
  
"Now, if you'll follow me; we'll introduce you to your new home."  
  
Dumbledore rose to his feet and ushered Draco and Ginny towards the fireplace. He handed Ginny a sealed letter;  
  
"Do not open this until you have reached the safe-house; your suitcases have already been delivered there."  
  
Bidding them both a final farewell, he dropped some Floo powder into the flames and pushed them into the glittering green walls of fire;  
  
"Sparrow House."  
  
He bellowed, winking at Ginny before the spinning flames sucked her out of sight and she snapped her eyes shut against the soot.  
Feeling herself slow down, Ginny flung her arms out and landed face down on something soft that smelled of a cool scent that reminded her of the mountains nearby the Burrow. She opened her eyes slowly, taking in the amused silver-grey eyes staring back at her, the icy white-blond hair falling slightly into them and the large, smirking mouth an inch form hers. Uncomfortably aware of her body reacting in shameful ways to his long muscular body beneath hers, she scrambled to her feet and tossed her long wavy hair over her shoulder. Draco took his time getting to his feet, wiping dust off his new leather pants, designer black silk shirt and expensive black velvet blazer. He rose to his considerable height and stared down at her; she glared boldly back at him, her eyes narrowed. Resisting the urge to wipe away the smudge of soot across her left cheek, Draco turned on his heel and took in his surroundings.  
The room they were stood in was some sort of old-fashioned drawing room; the walls were decorated in expensive cream wallpaper and a ruby carpet throughout the room. The huge arched window facing north was draped with blood-red velvet curtains; the grimy window only letting in slithers of the fast-fading sun-light. He glared distastefully at the dusty floor, the furniture covered in a thin film of dust and grime and the hulking furniture shrouded in white sheets. Ginny looked around and decided that cleaning the house was the first order of business; she wandered over to the closest white lump and ripped back the sheet, revealing a plush cream couch with a little red design printed all over it. The next exposed another couch that was shaped to fit into a corner, and two chairs of the same material grouped around the fire. A television set was built into the wall above the fireplace and Ginny's eyes gleamed as they fell on it; lately she had become somewhat addicted to muggle television. She jumped and nearly fell over the heavy oak coffee-table in the centre of the sitting area as the lights lining the wall and the tall lamp in the corner of the room flickered to life; spinning around she saw Draco with his wand out;  
  
"You know, it would have taken about ten seconds longer to flick the switch on the wall."  
  
She accused, watching as he shrugged and slumped down into a chair. Ginny shot him a disgusted look and headed through the adjoining arch into the dining room. This room was much the same as the drawing room, decorated in crimsons and creams with a long wooden table running down the centre and at least a dozen places set in gold china and cutlery. She ran her hand lightly along the shiny surface of the table as she wandered the length of the room; eager eyes devouring everything she could lay them on. Unaware that Draco was watching her closely from his seat in the drawing room she turned into the room next to the dining room which was a kitchen;  
  
"I suppose all this looks like a palace compared to what you're used to."  
  
He called scathingly, his voice echoing around the deserted house. Ginny balled her hands into fists but refused to rise to his goading; if she had to spend who knows how long living in a confined space with him, she'd just have to get used to his remarks. The kitchen was all sky-blue surfaces and stainless steel appliances; noting a dishwasher, washing machine and dryer Ginny sighed as she realised Draco wasn't likely to be able to use any of them. Moving through the kitchen she emerged into a dark hall decorated in greens of all shades; the walls were a pale jade colour while the floor consisted of a dark ivy-coloured carpet that ran up the stairs. The stairs themselves twisted in large circles upwards to a balcony that overlooked the drawing room and dining room. Another, much smaller, seating area was situated between the drawing room and dining room; a long green sofa, two green chairs and another low table were grouped together in the centre. Running her hand up the cool mahogany banister, Ginny strolled along the balcony part, until she reached the first door in the wall behind the balcony; twisting the silver door-knob she pushed open the door and entered the first room. It was richly decorated in green and silver with black trimming along the floor-to ceiling curtains and the drapes around the four-poster bed. Shivering, Ginny was about to leave the room when she felt a hand on her shoulder; without hesitating she gripped the hand and swung its owner over her shoulder. Draco lay on his back in the centre of the plush silver carpet, gazing up at Ginny in amazement. She glared down at him;  
  
"What the hell are you doing?"  
  
She ground out between gritted teeth; once again her eyes were narrowed as she thrust out a hand to help him up. She jumped when his hand gripped hers; she had expected his skin to be icy like his character but instead it was warm. She shivered despite the heat of the house and the hairs along her bare arms stood on end. Once Draco was on his feet she immediately let go of his hand and slapped him hard across the face;  
  
"Ouch!" He yelped, holding a hand up to his fast-reddening cheek; "What was that for?"  
  
She placed her hands on her hips, swinging her hips to one side so her skirt rose higher up her thigh and he gulped; he shouldn't be having thoughts like that about a Weasley. He mentally slapped himself even harder than she just physically had and tuned into what she was saying;  
  
"That was for scaring me you arsehole."  
  
He grinned at her in an annoyingly seductive way and she was disgusted to feel her body responding to his hot gaze and she looked quickly down at the floor.  
  
"Where did you get those?"  
  
She demanded, catching sight of the several black suitcases with a silver serpent and D.M etched into the side.  
  
"They were in the hallway."  
  
He replied, still rubbing his cheek; "I suppose this is my room."  
  
She took a step back as he moved closer towards her;  
  
"So if you wouldn't mind buggering off so I can take a shower..."  
  
He trailed off with a suggestive glance at her sweaty, dusty body and she had to force herself not to slap him again.  
  
"Like I'd want to stay for that disgusting display."  
  
She snarled, turning on her heel and storming out of the room, slamming the door behind her so hard the glass panes in his window rattled. Muttering a string of obscenities and threats under her breath she continued down the hall until she reached the next door. Banging it open she froze in the doorway and let out a gasp; the room was beautifully decorated in golds and creams. The huge four-poster bed shrouded in white curtains around a long golden counterpane that ended in a mountain of silky white cushions at the head of the bed. She walked over to the floor to ceiling window and threw it open, savouring the cool night air against her heated skin, feeling the sweat droplets on her body cooling. She started as the golden curtains billowed around her, tickling her with their silken folds and she stepped back to survey the rest of the room. The carpet was a light cream colour so thick it felt like walking in snow, the walls were also cream with golden designs scattered around them. She backed up to look around properly and nearly screamed as she felt something hard dig into her. Spinning around she saw a heavy oak desk with a large mirror tacked to the wall above it. Sinking into the soft chair by the desk she trailed her hand along the expensive thick parchment and designer Hawk quill and ink, excitement bubbling up inside her as she pulled two Chinese sticks from out of her jacket pocket and pinned her hair back with them. Suddenly remembering the letter Dumbledore had given her she retreated to the bed and collapsed onto it, tearing open the envelope;  
  
Dear Miss Weasley and Mr Malfoy,  
By now you should be at Sparrow House and settling in quite nicely. I do hope you can refrain from killing each other long enough to read this together.  
  
Ginny looked up guiltily before deciding to give the letter to Draco afterwards to read.  
  
While you are there I am afraid there are a few rules you must both abide by; first letters may only be sent once a week on a different day so a pattern is not obvious to anyone keeping watch. Second food and all other supplies will replenish themselves each week with no need for either of you to spend unnecessary money.  
  
Ginny groaned at this; food shopping was something she enjoyed. It gave her a sense of routine to buy the same things on the same day each week, occasionally indulging in something sweet other than the weekly packages her mother sent her from Romania where her parents were helping Charlie deal with the aftermath of Voldemort's destruction.  
  
If you must leave the house I cannot recommend strongly enough that you do not stray too far from house and gardens which are protected by many spells. If any information is gathered that we feel you need to know we shall have a trusted messenger pass it on to you when you need to know.  
Well I presume this is farewell; for the time being at least. I wish you both the best of luck for your birthdays which, if I'm not mistaken, are on the same day next week.  
  
Ginny started, she had forgotten all about her birthday coming up soon, what with the final battle and piecing her life together slowly afterwards; having to deal with many of her friends being killed.  
  
I have no doubt that your family will find some way of sending you their gifts no matter what I do to prevent it so I shall do nothing. Good luck both of you  
  
Yours Faithfully  
Albus Dumbledore  
  
Order of Merlin first class etc etc etc  
  
Ginny, leaned back against the mound of pillows behind her head and smiled at the thought of what her mother would say if Dumbledore told her not to send Ginny anything for her nineteenth birthday. Sighing she decided she better get unpacked so she got slowly to her feet, stretched luxuriously and headed back out into the hallway. Knocking on Draco's door she suppressed a gasp when he opened it in nothing but a black towel; his damp blond hair slicked back as water ran in rivulets down his smooth white body, catching on his well-toned muscles from hours of Quidditch and dripping under the towel. Ginny was horrified to find herself wondering if he had anything on under the towel and quickly snapped her eyes up to his face. He smirked down at her, watching as she flushed and her eyes travelled the length of his body;  
  
"Yes?"  
  
He asked, bringing her back to reality and knowing exactly what was going on behind those burning coffee-coloured eyes, widening behind their frame of long sooty black lashes.  
  
"I... erm..."  
  
She gave herself a mental slap and visibly pulled herself together;  
  
"The letter Dumbledore gave me; it says you're to read it too."  
  
She thrust the letter into his hands and turned her back on him, trying desperately to regulate her breathing. Feeling his eyes still on her she raised her head high and stalked towards the edge of the balcony;  
  
"Accio luggage."  
  
She said; slowly and clearing, turning to see her battered suitcases zooming towards her up the stairs. Aiming them into her bedroom she let them drop in the centre of the room, pulling her silky black bathrobe out of the top suitcase and wandering into her adjoining bathroom, she quickly turned on the water in the shower and stripped off her dirty, sweaty clothes. She stepped under the stream of water and let it pound her aching body, the steam drifting into her mind as she let her hair out of its confining bun, dropping the sticks onto the side by the sink and gently rubbing the water into her hair, all the while ignoring the image at the back of her head of Draco fresh from the shower.  
  
Draco heard the sound of gushing water start up and sighed as he imagined Ginny climbing into the shower, he dropped Dumbledore's letter onto his own mahogany desk and wandered back into his bathroom. He cleared a space on the steamed up mirror and stared long and hard at his reflection;  
  
"You can do this Draco, just don't think about her. She's a Weasley for god's sake! Pull yourself together. What you need is to go out and get laid."  
  
He snorted as he said this, throwing Dumbledore's letter a dirty look;  
  
"Well that's definitely out of the question now."  
  
He sighed and pressed his head against the warm glass, closing his eyes and breathing in the lingering steam steadily. When the image of Ginny's endless legs, heaving cleavage, long fiery red hair and huge seductive brown eyes refused to leave his head he sharply shook it in the feeble hope of dislodging it. When once again that didn't work he slammed his fist into the marble surface by the sink and stalked into his room to get dressed, silently cursing Dumbledore for locking him in a tiny house with such a desirable person that was definitely out of bounds and no other chance of him relieving himself of his sexual urges.  
  
A/N: The song lyrics at the beginning are from 'I Want You to Want Me' by Letters to Cleo 


	2. Open Hearts

Chapter Two – Open Hearts  
  
It hurts to want everything and nothing at the same time  
I want what's yours and I want what's mine  
  
I want you, but I'm not giving in this time  
  
Ginny awoke the next morning to a pair of grey eyes staring down at her. She jumped; her first thought was Draco. Four pairs of claws dug painfully into her breasts and she shrieked with pain, grabbing what she now realised to be a cat and holding it up into the early morning light filtering through her window. Once her heart had stopped pounding at twice its normal speed she glared at the cat who merely looked at her with a cold grey gaze.  
  
Climbing out of bed she scooped up the cat and marched out of her bedroom, slamming the door behind her and banging Draco's open, not bothering to knock and only briefly noticing how angelic he looked while he slept; his pale hair falling into his face, those piercing eyes hidden and no trace of his trademark smug smirk. She stalked across his room, ripped open his curtains and yanked his covers off him; her breath catching at the beauty of his body; boxers only just at a decent height up his navel. When he still didn't wake up she marched over to the door and slammed it shut so hard he immediately sat upright in bed, his eyes flickering at the harsh light flooding into his room from the windows;  
  
"What the fuck?"  
  
He growled, flailing around trying to untangle his legs from the silken sheets. When he finally freed himself he swung his legs onto the floor and sat on the edge of the bed, squinting up at Ginny who was looking as angry as a thundercloud;  
  
"What is this? And why was it in my bed?'  
  
She howled, shoving the cat at him unceremoniously and tapping her foot impatiently.  
  
"Well; it would be a cat. My cat to be exact; his name is Hades and as for what he was doing in your bed, all I can say is... he knows his master's wishes well."  
  
He smirked once more as a flush crept into Ginny's cheeks and she suddenly realised she was clad only in a tight white tank top with a big pair of lips across them and a pair of the tiniest hot pants imaginable with little tiny lips all over them.  
  
"And when were you planning on telling me you had a cat?"  
  
She demanded, folding her arms and glaring at him.  
  
"About the same time you were going to tell me about that."  
  
Draco drawled, raising an eyebrow when a basset-hound puppy bounded into the room yapping, falling over its long ears that were trailing slightly along the ground. Ginny blushed deeper and snatched the puppy up off the floor as Hades began slinking towards it. She gently smoothed its freckled body and cooed into its ear as it bristled at Draco, sensing its mistress's dislike for the guy. Draco glared at the puppy, trying valiantly to ignore the fact that he was aching to be exactly where that puppy was now with Ginny stroking him.  
  
"Zophyla's entirely different to Hades."  
  
She replied haughtily, tossing back her head and making even more strands of her crimson locks drift out of its plait and into her face.  
  
"How?'  
  
Draco challenged, rising to his feet so he towered over her, amusement once more in his eyes;  
  
"For one my puppy wasn't mauling you in your sleep!"  
  
She shot back triumphantly, anger flaring quickly as always around him.  
  
"And how did Hades maul you."  
  
He hissed, scooping his cat up off the floor and cradling it to his chest where it lay purring contentedly;  
  
"This is how."  
  
She snarled, lowering her top enough for him to see the long scratches down the top of her breasts.  
  
"A simple healing charm will fix that."  
  
Before she could say or do anything he had grabbed his wand from his bedside table and muttered the healing charm, both of them glancing down to watch the cuts heal magically leaving nothing but a few drops of blood.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
She mumbled, pulling her top back into place and staring fixedly down at the floor.  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
Draco almost whispered. Catching a softness in his voice she had never heard before Ginny raised her head slowly to look at him; he was gazing out of the window with a troubled look on his face she didn't want to try and comprehend right then. Muttering about getting dressed she quickly left his room and darted back into the safety of her own room.  
  
She dropped Zophyla onto her bed and crossed the room to her bathroom, grabbing her wand on the way and giving it a flick at the radio on her desk; humming to The Weird Sisters she quickly scrubbed her face and brushed her teeth, before dragging a brush through her long hair. She gave her hair about ten minutes of attempted styling before giving up and pointing her wand at it, muttering a few words and watching as it ruffled itself into a stylishly messed up cloud down her back.  
  
Draco could hear her music through the wall and shook his head ruefully before ruffling his tousled hair and setting about getting dressed. Yawning he pulled on a pair of baggy black combat pants and a long sleeved black polo-neck sweater. Heading bare-foot down the stairs he wandered into the kitchen and saw the back of Ginny as she reached up on her tiptoes trying to reach the cereal at the back of a top shelf. After admiring her legs and arse in the short green wrap-over skirt and black and green striped tights she was wearing he took pity on her and leaned up over her from behind, taking the box down and handing it to her.  
  
"Thanks... oh I'm sorry!"  
  
She gasped as she stepped on his toe in her black converse shoes, causing him to wince and hobble over to a tall stool at the breakfast bar to sit down and massage his foot.  
  
"No problem, it's alright."  
  
He replied, dropping his foot to meet the other one and watching her grin at him sheepishly before heaving on the tall fridge and pulling out a carton of milk. She tipped some cereal into her bowl before handing the box to him and poured some milk over it, making it crackle. She bent over the drawer she had pulled out searching for a spoon and Draco gulped as her she gave him a good view of her cleavage. Her tight white shirt had sleeves that joined below the armpit and was left open for the first few buttons only just containing her stunning breasts.  
  
Draco knew she didn't dress that way deliberately; she just wasn't aware of how good her body was and he was willing to bet she was still a virgin. She flicked through a magazine as she ate, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was watching her the whole time. Once she was finished she bent over to place her bowl in the dishwasher and he gulped as her skirt rode even higher. She took no notice and grabbed her black and green striped tie from the coat-hooks by the back door, slipping it over her head and leaving it to hang loose down her chest. Draco snorted and she turned to look at him;  
  
"What?"  
  
She asked, smiling foolishly as he laughed;  
  
"You look like Avril Lavigne turned school teacher."  
  
She glared at him and turned to shove her keys, purse, wand, brush and other bits into her shoulder bag;  
  
"That's basically what I am... I mean I kind of mix her style with mine and I'm a primary school assistant teacher."  
  
He raised an eyebrow at her and she shrugged;  
  
"I like kids."  
  
He continued to study her for a few seconds before turning back to his breakfast. She watched him as he ate, sipping on her coffee thoughtfully until the grandfather clock in the halfway chimed eight o'clock. She quickly rinsed her cup out and shoved into the dishwasher before grabbing her car keys from the crystal fruit bowl that was lying by the fridge waiting to be filled and headed towards the back door.  
  
"How are you getting there?"  
  
Draco asked just as she was turning the handle, she turned to face him, wondering why he was asking.  
  
"Have you passed your Apparition test yet?"  
  
She bristled at the implied insult and nodded;  
  
"Yes, of course I have. But I'm not Apparating; I'm driving."  
  
She watched as Draco stared at her as though she was crazy;  
  
"You're what?"  
  
She sighed and patiently explained that although it was a wizard primary school she worked at, it was in the centre of London so was not an approved Apparating site.  
  
"And if you think I'm getting the subway in the morning rush hour, you are sadly mistaken, Draco."  
  
He froze in the middle of standing up, his eyes fixed on her and totally blank;  
  
"You just called me Draco."  
  
He repeated, watching her as she looked confused then defiant;  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
She said aggressively, staring at him as he shrugged and moved over to the dishwasher to deposit his dirty dishes.  
  
"Did I say there was anything wrong with it?"  
  
He breathed once he was close enough for her to feel the heat of his body and breathe in his scent. He took a step towards her, backing her against the door; her heartbeat quickened and she stared up at him. Her eyes a mixture of terror, excitement and helpless desire.  
  
His eyes were burning with a frightening look of hunger and she shuddered when he moved even closer to her, pressing against her, his lips barely an inch from hers. His breath was warm on her lips and it sent a shiver down her spine, making the hair on her arms stand on end as goose bumps jumped up all over her body.  
  
Using all the strength she had she gently pushed him away;  
  
"I have to go to work."  
  
She mumbled, terrified at how close she had become to surrendering to him. He sighed, disappointment blazing across his eyes and face as he moved back;  
  
"You might have to have a cold shower now, Weasley. And make sure you keep that memory safe at the back of your mind, it's not likely to happen again."  
  
Ginny's face froze and she glared at him, not trusting herself to speak but glad she'd stopped it when she had.  
  
"Don't flatter yourself Malfoy."  
  
She spat;  
  
"Your so-called charms won't work on anyone with more than two brain cells. Which means you have no effect on me whatsoever."  
  
Yeah right, Ginny thought to herself, and you're gonna marry goddamn Merlin. Spinning around she tugged open the door and slammed it shut behind her, shattering a pane of glass. Nice going Malfoy, he thought savagely, just push her back to the bloody Boy Who Lived why don't you. He sighed and flicked his wand at the shattered glass, fixing it instantly and scowling down at his coffee; he had slipped up this morning, he hadn't meant to scare her like that. Just to make her face some of the desire that was eating him up inside ever since he'd seen her for the first time since Hogwarts finished at his yearly reunion.  
  
He had only accepted the stupid assignment to see if he was still hooked on her but he knew he was from the moment she had walked into Dumbledore's office. He had never told anyone about his secret desire and didn't plan to, the fact that she had six brothers, two of whom were beaters, not to mention the youngest and his best friend Potter who was now a professional Auror and had all the skills Draco had.  
  
For god's sake; he'd only started the seductive looks and unnecessary touches to piss her off; he hadn't actually fancied her and then he'd gone and dropped himself right in it. Now every time he saw her he was taken over by some wild desire to... NO! Don't think like that, think of something else, anything!  
  
In the end he pulled out his little black book and looked up an old friend. Grabbing a piece of parchment and quill and ink he quickly scribbled a note;  
  
Pansy  
  
Fancy going out tonight? Just for a quick drink or two.  
  
Malfoy  
  
Calling for his owl; Eris, he quickly tied the note to her leg and stroked her tawny feathers before taking her over to the window;  
  
"Take this to Pansy O.K. I have to get some action from somewhere and that girl always did have skills you couldn't imagine."  
  
He watched the bird fly into the bustle of the city, he knew that Pansy would interpret the message to his true request; when he asked for a quick drink he meant bed, and not to sleep either. He pressed his forehead against the cool glass of the window with a strange feeling in his heart; guilt? How could he feel guilty when he wasn't even seeing Ginny? He pushed the thought firmly out of his mind and wandered into the drawing room to see what was on T.V.  
  
Ginny arrived home that night to see a blonde couple wriggling on the couch. As she edged closer she managed to identify one as Draco and the other... her heart almost and she let out a groan; damn that bloody Pansy Parkinson! She had kept her claws in him all through Hogwarts, couldn't she let someone else have a chance for once. She pulled herself together and acted as the couple on the couch weren't in the middle of a very heavy make- out session.  
  
Pansy's crimson lipstick was smeared across her chin and her mascara was running with sweat, her hair had been pulled out of its stylish bun and fell over her shoulder in a long curly blonde wave, her shirt was undone exposing a lacy black bra that held in her glorious cleavage already glistening with sweat. Her short black skirt had ridden up her thighs so her matching black lacy suspender belt was clearly visible; it was also just as clear that she wasn't wearing anything else under her skirt but the black sheer stockings the suspender belt was holding up.  
  
Draco had his shirt off and his belt half undone, sweat was running over his bare torso and he had Pansy's lipstick all over his mouth and chin, looking closely, Ginny noticed his eyes had the unfocused look of someone who had consumed a considerable amount of alcohol.  
  
Neither of them seemed the notice that Ginny had returned so she silently hung her jacket by the front door and was almost past them when she heard Pansy start groaning. Unable to help herself she spun around and watched as Draco's fingers snaked their way up Pansy's thigh, disappearing between the soft creamy skin, reappearing before disappearing again.  
  
Ginny felt physically ill at the sight of it and she darted out of the room and up the stairs, collapsing on her bed and sobbing hysterically into Zophyla's fur as she laid her head comfortingly on her mistress's shoulder.  
  
Ginny had never admitted to anyone that she had fallen head over heels in love with Malfoy years ago. She hadn't even told her best girl friend; Hermione because she knew Hermione told her fiancé, Ron, everything and if he found out he would have bawled her out and then beat Malfoy to a pulp even though he didn't know himself.  
  
Downstairs Malfoy had switched to autopilot while he pleasured Pansy; had he imagined the groan Ginny had let out when she had caught them? Had she really ran upstairs sobbing? He was pretty drunk, he'd had to as once he'd seen Pansy he had immediately regretted asking her out for no other reason than her hair was bottle-blonde not fiery red and her ice-cold blue eyes weren't warm and friendly brown ones.  
  
But the instant he'd started comparing her Ginny he had wanted Ginny so bad he had to have whoever was offering. As that was Pansy he had then proceeded to order double Fire whiskeys one after the other, downing them so fast they barely touched his taste buds.  
  
Once he was drunk enough to pretend Pansy was Ginny, which wasn't as hard as it should have been since he was seeing double and seemed to have lost all sense of colour for the time being, he had dragged Pansy outside, kissed her so fiercely she had complained of sore lips before hailing a cab to take them back to his new home.  
  
They had only just started when Ginny had walked in and, as she had barely shown that she had even noticed them and Pansy hadn't even noticed her, he continued with his well-learned skills.  
  
A few minutes later when Pansy dragged him up to his room he was so busy thinking of Ginny he didn't even notice that her door was slightly hazy which meant she had put a Silencing Charm on her room. And after Pansy had thrown him on the bed and climbed on top of him he closed his eyes; the alcohol was wearing off and the face that was above him was not the one he wanted to see.  
  
A/N: The lyrics at the beginning are by Michelle Branch, 'Goodbye to You"  
  
Also I do not own any of these characters unfortunately, if you see a name you don't recognise then it's probably mine 


	3. Vengeful Denial

Chapter Three – Vengeful Denial  
  
I need you  
  
By my side  
  
And although we're going to  
  
Fight sometimes  
  
I need you  
  
By my side  
  
Please don't walk away and we'll be fine  
  
Ginny crept cautiously from her room that morning, hoping to god she wasn't about to walk into a smug Draco fresh from Pansy's arms. With that thought in her mind she suddenly decided she had nothing to be ashamed of; it was her goddamn house for Merlin's sake! Stiffening her resolve she held her head high and stalked out of her room, striding down the stairs as though she didn't have a care in the world she danced into the kitchen and switched on the kettle.  
  
Pansy looked up smugly and eyed her cautiously from where she was sat at the breakfast bar with a large mug of coffee cupped in her hands on the counter before her. Ginny nodded coolly at her before pouring herself a mug of coffee from the coffee machine and shoving some bread in the toaster, making sure she kept her back to Pansy.  
  
"Draco!"  
  
Pansy squealed, jumping to her feet and throwing herself at Draco who had just descended the stairs and stood in the doorway looking for once something less than gorgeous. Ginny turned around slowly and glared as she saw Pansy, clad only in Draco's black shirt from the night before and a pair of his boxers, wrap her arms around Draco and rub against him. She felt her anger rising up inside her but fought hard to control it. She turned her back on them again and tipped the coffee out of her mug and down the sink.  
  
"Get off me Pansy."  
  
Draco growled, viscously shoving her off him making her pout and flounce out of the room to get dressed. As soon as he heard the shower switch on Draco turned to Ginny sheepishly;  
  
"Sorry, about you walking in on us last night."  
  
Ginny shrugged, still not turning to look him;  
  
"It didn't give me nightmares as I expected it to so it doesn't matter."  
  
She replied coldly, slamming the dishwasher door closed and switching it on. Looking up at the calendar on the wall she realised it was Saturday and sighed; she didn't have to rush off to work and could spend the day relaxing.  
  
Draco stared at her for a moment before shrugging and pouring himself a cup of black coffee, not bothering to add milk or sugar, and slumping down into Pansy's discarded seat. Ginny determinedly ignored him and sat with her back to him, flicking through a magazine and watching the beautiful models twirl in their long ball gowns before her. There was a ball that evening for all the Junior Auror's but she didn't have much hope of being invited.  
  
No sooner had she thought this then the phone rang, startling her and making Draco leap a foot out of his seat. She smirked and wandered over to the wall-phone above the breakfast bar. Picking it up mid-ring she listened carefully for a few minutes, perfectly aware that Draco was eyeing her suspiciously.  
  
"I don't know Parker... I..."  
  
She trailed off as Pansy descended the stairs and dropped into Draco's lap, draping herself over him and nuzzling his neck. Ginny's stomach tightened in jealousy and she smiled widely;  
  
"Of course I'll go to the ball with you, Parker. Why don't you pick me up at my new house at seven?"  
  
Draco narrowed his eyes to slits as he glared at her putting the phone down and dancing past him;  
  
"Pansy?"  
  
A sudden idea hit Ginny and she smiled mischievously, stopping next to the couple and tapping Pansy on the shoulder, she looked up warily;  
  
"I have a ball to go to tonight, could you please help me pick out a dress?"  
  
Draco gawped at Ginny; was she serious?! Pansy continued to stare at Ginny for a while before smiling slowly;  
  
"Of course, shall we go now?"  
  
Ginny nodded and darted upstairs to pull on some clothes; quickly slipping into a white gypsy dress that floated about her knees but accentuated her brown cleavage and arms. Skipping down the stairs she just noticed Draco staring from Pansy to herself as though he had never seen them in his life before she took Pansy's arm and sauntered out of the door with a smug smirk at Draco.  
  
Ginny stared critically at herself in the full length mirror adorning her wall, slowly spinning around to check her backside didn't stick out too much. She had to hand it to Pansy; the girl had taste. The dress they had agreed on was of pure black material that shone when she moved, plunging right down to her navel at the front and gathered with two jewelled straps holding it together over her breasts, it was completely backless, practically giving her cleavage at the back as well.  
  
But the dress was so beautifully designed it didn't look at all tarty, just sexily seductive. It fell in long silken folds down to the floor, with two long slits up the outside of her legs to mid-thigh. Her newly waxed and bronzed legs seemed to go on forever as she pulled on her black high-heeled sandals that wrapped up to her knee, her crimson toe-nails shimmering in the soft light cast by the lamp on her bedside table.  
  
She quickly bustled into her bathroom and applied the new makeup she had purchased only that morning. Ringing her eyes with black eyeliner she flicked out at the corner of each eye to make them look bigger. She applied layer after layer of black witch mascara that heated up as soon as it was put on and curled the eyelashes automatically. Finally she used her new eye shadows and out first a line of black, then a line of grey, then a lighter grey and lastly a line of white before flicking her wand at her eyelid so the eye shadows merged making her eyes look as though they faded from black into white.  
  
She nervously re-checked her hair, pushing any stray strands back up into the jewelled clip her lustrous waves were pinned into, making sure the little curls fell just right into her face and that they weren't entangled with the long silver drop earrings that almost touched her shoulder. Slipping on her silver bracelets she caught sight of two deep scratches along her right hand.  
  
"Damn that bloody cat!"  
  
She cursed, muttering a healing spell and watching as they sealed themselves; turning she gave a start as she saw Hades glaring at her from her bed, his eyes watching her; so cool and detached she shuddered. No wonder he's Draco's cat, he's just the bloody same.  
  
"Ginny; your date is here!"  
  
Draco bellowed up the stairs, distaste evident in his voice and Ginny straightened up, silently reminding herself that she wasn't trying to make him jealous at all. Yeah right, and you also don't want to jump on him every time you see him. That annoying voice that sounded just like her brother Bill at the back of her head was kicking in again.  
  
"Be right down!"  
  
She called, grabbing her little black shoulder bag, making sure her wand and purse were safely inside before darting out of the room and down the twisting stairs. She paused on the last step and both men stood to meet her; their eyes travelling from her feet to her face, Parker looking terrified and Draco about to punch him. Parker swallowed before striding over to her and kissing her hand, one hand holding hers to his lips his other pushing his long black curls out of his eyes. He led Ginny to the door and pulled it open;  
  
"Ready?"  
  
Ginny's smile faltered before she grinned and nodded, turning coldly back to Draco;  
  
"Don't wait up."  
  
She winked at him, noticing his eyes clouding over with anger but she paid him no attention, she simply followed Parker out of the house without looking back.  
  
"Are you sure?'  
  
Parker mumbled; his voice muffled as he nuzzled her neck, his hands spreading heat through her body, one on the back of her neck and one resting lightly on her stomach. She sighed; did she want to do this? Pushing all doubts from her mind she forced a smile and nodded;  
  
"Yes."  
  
She whispered, looking up at Parker before pulling his head down towards her so she could kiss him. He deepened the kiss, moulding his body to hers as he lay her down on the bed; gently kissing down her body as he slowly pulled her dress off. Ginny smiled weakly at him before squeezing her eyes shut; this wasn't right! She held back the tears she was desperate to cry; he was perfect for her, sweet, kind, gentle, cute, dependable, but something wasn't right.  
  
She didn't move much as he explored her body, she just lay back and tried to enjoy the sensations rippling through her body. She bit her lip hard as he entered her for the first time, tears welling up once more in her eyes. She couldn't deny she was enjoying it, it just didn't feel right. She dug her long nails in his back but he didn't complain, just carried on, his lips leaving hers every now and then to check she was alright; he knew it was her first time and was terrified of hurting her.  
  
Later that night Ginny lay cradled in his arms, her body aching; was it meant to hurt this much after your first time? She gently wriggled out of Parker's embrace and silently pulled her dress on, fumbling around for her purse which had fallen out of her bag earlier;  
  
"Oh this is ridiculous! Accio purse!'  
  
She hissed, catching her purse as it came zooming towards her and shoving into her bag before grabbing her shoes from under the bed. She gazed down at Parker's sleeping form and it suddenly hit her what was wrong; the hair that was splayed out across the snow-white pillow black and curly, not blond and straight and the muscular brown body barely covered by the sheet wasn't long, lean and pale.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
She whispered kissing him gently on the forehead and brushing away the tears rolling slowly down her cheeks. She quickly left the room without looking back; thanking Merlin that she had passed the Stealth and Tracking portion of her training with full marks. Once the front door of Parker's apartment block was closed behind her, she leant against it and closed her eyes, letting her head fall back with a dull thud against the wood she made no attempt to stem the flow of bitter tears now racing down her pale cheeks;  
  
"You're just not Draco."  
  
She breathed, gazing hard at the full moon looking down on her.  
  
Draco had waited until Ginny had left with that moron from the Junior Auror's before he pulled out the bottle of Firewhiskey he had bought that afternoon. Three quarters down the bottle he glared once more at the Grandfather clock, wincing as it struck two o'clock. He was just about to down another double when he heard the front door click open and he quietly placed the glass on the table in the centre of the sitting area in the drawing room.  
  
He sat in the dark silently, not having bothered to turn on any of the lights when the dark had crept into the house. Glaring at the door he narrowed his eyes as Ginny slipped into the house, tiptoeing barefoot across the hallway, her underwear hanging out of her bag.  
  
"Have a nice time?''  
  
He growled, jealousy burning through him as the smell of sex wafted over from her. She uttered a small scream and spun around to find him sitting in a chair by the fire watching her; his eyes were dark and his face a mask of anger and desire that made her shudder. Spotting the nearly empty bottle of Firewhiskey next to him she shrugged and scurried up the stairs, almost screaming again when he grabbed her arm at the top of the stairs and spun her around to face him.  
  
His anger died when he saw the dried tears on her face and his eyes softened;  
  
"What did he do to you?"  
  
His voice was gentle and persuading and made fresh tears well up in Ginny's huge eyes, making her look like a deer caught in the headlights. He felt a violent rush of anger towards Parker and pulled her into his arms, stilling her trembling with his warm strength and gently stroking her matted hair; still damp from sweat and tears.  
  
After a while she pulled away and looked up at him, tears once more falling from her trusting eyes. Despair overwhelmed her and she shook her head fiercely;  
  
"You're too late."  
  
She whispered, spinning on her heel and racing to her room. Slamming the door behind her and locking it.  
  
Draco watched her go, forcing the violent urge to pummel Parker to death down. Feeling drained and weary from so many forceful emotions coursing through him in one night he dragged himself to his room and collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep straight away still fully clothed.  
  
A/N: The lyrics at the beginning are from 'Need You' by the Pointer Sisters I own Parker but that's it unfortunately. R&R ppl please! Thanx to ppl who have reviewed so far! Cheers babes! 


	4. A Number of Close Calls

A/N: The lyrics at the beginning are from 'Even Angels Fall' from the 10 Things I Hate About You Soundtrack  
  
Once again I unfortunately do not own any of these characters.  
  
Thanks so much to everyone who's reviewed so far, I do read them all and it makes my day. Woot! Another chapter, more coming soon! Hope ya enjoy it. Cheers babes xx  
  
Chapter Four – A Number of Close Calls  
  
You found hope  
  
You found faith  
  
Found how fast she could take it away  
  
Found true love  
  
Lost your heart  
  
Now you don't know who you are  
  
"Ginny?"  
  
Ginny jumped and flushed as her elbow slid off the corner of the table.  
  
"Sorry, Harry. What were you saying?"  
  
Harry raised an eyebrow at her and shook his head;  
  
"What is it with you lately? It's like you're in your own little daydream world. No that it's unusual."  
  
He grinned and ducked as she punched him on the arm playfully;  
  
"I dunno; I just can't seem to focus any more."  
  
She mumbled, taking a sip of her coffee and watching Harry as he leaned back in his seat and ruffled his hair at the back. The two of the had become a lot closer after Hogwarts, at first because of the final battle against Voldemort and ever since then because whenever Ron and Hermione were together they couldn't keep their hands off each other so the two of them had taken to wandering Diagon Alley alone.  
  
"Come on."  
  
Ginny got to her feet and tossed a few coins onto the table to pay for her drink before tugging Harry to his feet;  
  
"They should have had enough time to prepare my surprise party by now."  
  
Harry looked up at her with an innocent look she knew better than to believe, rolling her eyes she yanked him to his feet and dragged him out of the coffee shop. Neither of them was remotely surprised when they walked slap into Ron and Hermione coming out of the little bakery around the corner with a large bag of goods.  
  
"Harry, Ginny! What a surprise! Happy Birthday."  
  
Hermione trilled; hugging them both and giving Harry a stern look over Ginny's shoulder for going ahead of schedule.  
  
"Yeah, whatever Hermione. Is that my cake in there?"  
  
Ginny snorted, grabbing the bag from Ron and nosing through it.  
  
"Not at all, don't be nosy little sister."  
  
A loud voice made Ginny jump and she spun around to find Fred and George sauntering out of their joke shop towards them.  
  
"Aren't you locking up the shop?"  
  
Ron asked, indicating the brightly coloured building that during the holidays had a steady flow of Hogwarts students as customers. Fred shook his head before giving Ginny a quick hug;  
  
"Happy birthday Gin."  
  
Ginny grinned at him and rolled her eyes;  
  
"Why aren't you locking the shop?"  
  
She demanded, noticing Ron glance at Hermione nervously who stood on George's foot;  
  
"Ouch! Because if we lock up early we get a bad reputation. Besides Angelina's looking after it for us for a few hours."  
  
Ginny glanced up to see Angelina Johnson looking very flustered as she slowly worked her way through serving the long line of customers. Looking up briefly she saw Fred blow her a kiss and she blushed before waving.  
  
"Fred?"  
  
Hermione said suddenly;  
  
"Yes?"  
  
He asked in an innocent voice he usually only kept for when his mother had caught him doing something he shouldn't.  
  
"One: Angelina's is supposed to be somewhere tonight, isn't she? And two: your fly is undone."  
  
George, Harry and Ron hooted with laughter when Fred grinned calmly and zipped his pants up. Ginny was looking from one to the other; amazed her mother had trusted them to keep her party a secret.  
  
"Come on, let's go."  
  
She sighed, shaking her head before Apparating back to Sparrow House.  
  
"Happy birthday!"  
  
Ginny turned to stare at a flood of red as Weasleys from all over the place advanced on her, kissing her cheeks and hugging her. After about ten minutes of struggling she managed to escape her family's clutches and she retreated up the stairs to get changed.  
  
"Happy birthday."  
  
Ginny jumped as Draco stepped out of his room before her and handed her a present gift-wrapped in purple paper and gold ribbons.  
  
"Thanks, Happy birthday. Your present is in my room."  
  
Ginny flushed before beckoning for him to follow her into her bedroom. She closed the door quietly behind him and motioned for him to sit on her bed. She crossed her room and pulled open the drawer to her desk, pulling out a small box wrapped in silver paper. Handing it to him shyly she dropped onto the bed next to him and ripped the paper off hers and pulled out an ivy- green silk dress. She gasped and got to her feet, holding the dress to her and examining it in her mirror.  
  
"Try it on."  
  
Draco urged, absurdly pleased by her joy at his simple gift. Simple ha! He thought to himself; it cost you more than you've ever spent on gifts in your life! He pushed his father's voice to the back of his head and gulped when she stepped out of the bathroom. The dress fell from the simple V at the front into another V at the bottom, so her chest was sneakily on show and most of her legs too. The back was halter-necked with a long silver chain that fell from the clasp to where the back of the dress at her waist. It fell in soft waves to the floor and trailed a little along behind her.  
  
Ginny spun around and he caught his breath; she really did look stunning. It was amazing how such a simple dress could look so beautiful on her body. He shoved the box the dress had come in towards her and she pulled out a pair of golden Grecian sandals with a high wedged-heel that wrapped around the ankle out of the bottom of the box. Jumping up and down like a school- girl she pulled them on and flung her arms around Draco;  
  
"Thank you so much. It's all so beautiful!"  
  
She gushed letting go of him and dashing into the bathroom to scrub her face clean. Not having the energy to bother with makeup she used some black eyeliner and a little lip gloss before touching her cheeks up with a faint blusher. In the middle of spraying on some perfume she paused, her face falling.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Draco asked; his concern shocking him as he never had really felt it before.  
  
"Well... it's just that after all this it makes my present, which you still haven't opened by the way, look a bit stupid really."  
  
Draco grinned up at her before ripping the paper off his present and opening the small black velvet box it contained. Inside, nestled among the velvet folds of the box was a long silver chain ending in a glittering silver charm; a dragon coiled around a vertical word in another language.  
  
"It says Draco in Elvish."  
  
Ginny explained blushing. Draco was mesmerised by it; it must have cost a fortune to have it handmade which it would have to be to have an Elvish word on it which was a very rare language few could read.  
  
"Put it on."  
  
Ginny urged, walking towards him and sitting down next to him. Her proximity was making him nervous and his fingers fumbled with the catch at the back for a while before she took pity on him and leaned over to fasten it. He felt her long hair brush his cheek and he breathed in her scent of spicy cinnamon mixed with a cool sharp scent that sent his senses reeling.  
  
Ginny pulled back from him slightly so she could look at him, her eyes locked onto his and neither moved. Draco hardly dared breathe in case it broke the moment;  
  
"We should go down to the party."  
  
Ginny whispered, her lips trembling as Draco's eyes flickered longingly towards them;  
  
"Yes."  
  
He abruptly got to his feet and held out a hand to pull her up off the bed.  
  
"What is going on?"  
  
The both turned to see a fuming Ron stood in the doorway, eyes narrowed and ears so red they practically faded into his hair.  
  
"Nothing, we were exchanging birthday gifts."  
  
Ginny replied calmly, getting to her feet and sweeping towards him, her dress shimmering in the light from the hallway.  
  
"What... are... you... wearing?"  
  
Ron snarled, his eyes taking in his sister's dress.  
  
"My birthday present."  
  
She answered airily, shoving past her brother and dragging Draco down the stairs after her. The entire room turned to stare at them as they reached the first floor and Ginny hastily removed her hand from Draco's for his own safety.  
  
"What is he doing here?"  
  
Bill growled, stalking over to them and squaring up to Draco with Charlie, Fred and George two paces behind him, all of them joining Ron who was still breathing down her neck.  
  
"He lives here."  
  
Ginny shrugged, not seeming to notice that they were backing Draco towards the wall.  
  
"Yes we're aware of that. But why is he here for your birthday party?"  
  
Fred demanded, glaring at Draco who glowered back defiantly. Ginny shook her head and grabbed a glass of champagne from the breakfast bar where every kind of alcoholic drink could be found, magical or muggle.  
  
"It's his birthday too and I want him here. He's my friend."  
  
Her brothers gaped at her;  
  
"It's Malfoy!"  
  
George howled, attracting the attention of their mother who bustled over looking deliriously happy in a long black dress that hid her bulges and toned down the redness of her rosy cheeks.  
  
"Mum! You look great!"  
  
Ginny smiled, hugging her mother and tugging Draco forward, away from her brothers who had fallen silent at their mother's approach;  
  
"This is Draco Malfoy."  
  
Draco held his hand out stiffly as Mrs Weasley gave him an appraising look.  
  
"Nice to meet you dear. I'm so glad you're staying here; it's so much of a comfort knowing Ginny has someone close by."  
  
Ginny and Draco both flushed as her brothers scowled at them;  
  
"Come on let's get out of here for a minute, it's too hot."  
  
Ginny complained, grabbing Draco's arm and hauling him out of the backdoor away from her relatives and friends. They wandered in silence down the garden, stopping when they reached a stone bench at the bottom and collapsing onto it.  
  
Draco glanced sideways, watching Ginny as she gazed peacefully out over the mountains. Out of the corner of her eyes he noticed she was shivering and he pulled off his black silk blazer, draping it around her shoulders. She blushed and thanked him, leaning a little closer to him, the warmth of his body heat still on the blazer like a gentle caress on her skin.  
  
"Why did you... call me your friend inside?"  
  
He asked nervously, refusing to look at her but perfectly aware that she was watching him.  
  
"Aren't you?"  
  
She whispered; her gaze now fixed on him, her heart pounding and her mouth suddenly dry. He turned to look at her, moving ever so slightly up the bench towards her, his eyes flickering down to look at her rosy lips, swallowing when she ran her tongue over them, removing most of the lip gloss.  
  
"Am I?"  
  
He breathed, his breath hot on her lips as he leaned closer, his hand snaking across the bench to reach the small of her back, pulling her towards him gently.  
  
Ginny's eyes widened when she felt his hand on her back, she stared up at him; her eyes locking onto his as she reached up a small tentative hand to push a few strands of white-blond hair out of his face. He caught her hand brought it to his lips, placing a teasing kiss on the centre of her palm before trailing his tongue along her heart line and causing a wave of desire to sweep over her. He removed her hand from his face and brought it up to the beam of moonlight bathing them in milky light, subtly drawing her closer to him as he did so. He inched his head towards hers, his eyes never leaving her face even as her own fluttered closed in expectation, his lips were mere centimetres from hers now and he ran his tongue over her lower lip.  
  
"Ginny! Ginny come on, we're teaching everyone the Cha Cha Slide!"  
  
Harry's voice rang out across the yard, making Ginny jump and shove herself away from Draco. She stumbled to her feet and smiled at him;  
  
"Dancing, can't miss watching my brothers attempt that."  
  
She mumbled lamely, her heart racing and a pulse beating between her legs. He stared at her incredulously for a moment before getting to his feet and following her up the garden path towards the house where the Cha Cha Slide was now pounding full blast out of every open window and door.  
  
Draco leaned against the wall in the shadow cast by the tall lamp in the corner, his eyes fixed on Ginny over his glass of beer; it was amazing how he seemed to love her a little more every time he saw her. Even now as she was noisily trying to do the Macarena at the front of a long line of Weasleys with Potter right behind her, he wanted her. She had slipped her shoes off an hour ago and they lay in a discarded pile with the black silk shawl Luna Lovegood had bought her as a present by the fire. Her long red hair bounced about her happy face and Draco's heart twisted at how happy she looked with her friends.  
  
They had now formed a long conga line that consisted of Ginny, Harry, Luna, Colin Creevey, Dennis Creevey, Ron, Hermione, Angelina, Fred, George, Bill, his wife Fleur Delacour, Charlie, his girlfriend from Romania; Tania, Mrs Weasley, Mr Weasley, Dean Thomas, Parvarti Patil, her twin Padma, Lavender Brown, her boyfriend Seamus Finnigan, four girls he vaguely recognised as being Ginny's fellow Griffindor's, Neville Longbottom, Alicia Spinnett, Michael Corner, Terry Boot, Susan Bones, and about thirty other people trailing along or sitting down clapping along that he didn't know.  
  
"Come on Draco!"  
  
Ginny squealed, grabbing his hand and pulling him into the line behind her, much to Harry's annoyance.  
  
All in all the party didn't end until three o'clock the next morning when Ginny and Draco finally managed to evict the last drunken Griffindor's; Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan.  
  
Trailing wearily up the stairs Ginny turned to look at Draco;  
  
"Thanks for not killing my brothers and for putting up with my family."  
  
She laughed, smiling up at him with that adorable look on her face he found himself melting over.  
  
"It's alright, I actually had fun. But if you tell anyone I partied with Griffindor's; I may have to kill you."  
  
He smirked as she flushed before leaning down to kiss her on the cheek; Ginny sighed, his scent overpowering her. She turned her head slightly and his lips grazed hers, causing both their eyes to fly open in shock. She pulled back smiling shyly up at him and he groaned, pulling her towards him and pressing his lips to hers in a hard bruising kiss. She resisted at first but his tongue running gently over her lips burned through the last of her defences and she surrendered to him, opening her lips and teasing his tongue with hers.  
  
Draco took a step forwards, backing her against the wall, his hands drifting apart; one to the small of her back, pressing her against him and the other tangle itself in her mane of fiery red hair. Her arms shot around his neck, one hand stroking the base of his neck, twisting strands of his hair in her fingers while the other edged up his shirt, tracing little circles with her fingers on the taunt muscles she ran her hand over. He deepened the kiss, pressing himself against her until she arched her body away from the wall into his, her lower body grinding into his as she moaned softly into his mouth.  
  
He broke the kiss off, trailing kisses from her lips to her ear then down, lowering his sleek head to nuzzle softly at her neck. Finding a particularly sensitive spot just below her collar bone he used his tongue and teeth to tease her, gently nipping at the skin before smoothing it over with his tongue and lips. She was moaning louder now and her breathing was becoming heavier and more laboured, her head had dropped back against the wall and her eyes were closed, her hands entangled in his hair; tugging slightly if his teeth hurt her.  
  
He pressed against her, his hands reaching behind her to lift her up; she wrapped her legs around him, her skirt riding up her thighs. When he trailed a hand slowly over her leg, heading for her skirt she froze, her eyes flew open and she suddenly realised what she was doing and who with. Noticing she had stiffened even more than he had he lifted his head and looked at her, seeing the confusion in her lust-darkened eyes and, using every ounce of mental strength he had, he gently lowered her to a standing position.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
She mumbled, reaching up to leave one last lingering kiss on his lips before she walked resolutely into her room without a single backward glance. 


	5. Maybes, Hangovers and Babies

A/N: The lyrics at the beginning are from 'If It Makes You Happy' by Sheryl Crow I don't own any of the characters  
  
Cheers for the reviews and as I keep being repeatedly told 'I Want You to Want Me' is apparently by Cheap Trick, but I haven't heard that one and have only heard the Letters to Cleo version, so sorry if I got it wrong. Keep reviewing it helps, enjoy this chapter, it's a bit longer than the others I think but I couldn't seem to find the right place to end it. cheers babes xx  
  
Chapter Five – Maybes, Hangovers and Babies  
  
If it makes you happy  
It can't be that bad  
If it makes you happy  
Then why the hell are you so sad?  
  
Ginny's alarm going off the next day punctured through her dreams and she swatted at the bedside table;  
  
"Shut up you bloody evil thing!"  
  
She groaned, banging her hand on the table without opening her eyes, hoping she would hit it sooner or later. But unfortunately it was a wizard clock which didn't go off after a minute it just continued to get louder and steadily more annoying.  
  
"Come on Gin, up you get."  
  
An airy voice called, throwing open her door and wafting a mug of coffee under her nose. She sighed in relief when the alarm was switched off and burrowed back under the covers. But it seemed as though there was a chorus of bells ringing in her head and she moaned in pain;  
  
"Get me a damn ambulance."  
  
She groaned, shoving the steaming mug away from her face and glaring through bloodshot eyes as a radiant Hermione smiling down on her.  
  
"Is it that bad?"  
  
She giggled, placing the mug on the bedside table and tearing open the curtains to let some light into Ginny's darkened room;  
  
"Can't somebody shut those bloody bells up?!"  
  
Ginny bellowed, immediately regretting it when her temples gave a twinge and a pain shot through her head.  
  
"'Fraid not. Some lucky person is getting married and they're going to be ringing for the next ten minutes."  
  
Hermione sighed, gazing wistfully at the old church across the road before turning around and ripping the covers off Ginny, who cursed and curled up into a ball, her hand wearily scrabbling across the sheets looking for her quilts.  
  
"Come on; time to get up your brother's waiting downstairs."  
  
Ginny sighed, but knowing better then to bother arguing with Hermione, she slowly got out of bed and pulled her dressing gown on. It took her about five minutes to get down the stairs as each step felt like a cement block being dropped on her head.  
  
Draco glanced up as she descended the stairs, gingerly cradling her head in her hands as though it was a glass of water she didn't want to spill. Her hangover was pressing against her brain causing all thoughts to become fuzzy but she was determined not to mention what had gone on the night before. This seemed to be evident as Draco didn't bring up the subject either, simply carrying on with his breakfast, eating it at the counter as opposed to the breakfast bar where Ron sat, glaring at him. The phone ringing startled them all and Ginny quickly picked it up, more to cut off the evil shrieking noise it was making then wanting to actually speak to whoever was on the other end;  
  
"Hullo?"  
  
She grumbled into the receiver, closing her eyes against the harsh light as Hermione opened the kitchen blind.  
  
"Hey Ginny."  
  
An involuntary smile lit up Ginny's face as she heard her best friend's voice.  
  
"Tab! Where are you? How's living in America suiting you? How's that gorgeous wizard actor you were seeing last I heard?"  
  
She said all this very fast, sipping tentatively at the coffee Hermione had just put before her.  
  
"Fine, everything's fine. How about you?"  
  
Ginny halted her friend for a second;  
  
"One minute, Tab. There you go you're on speaker now, Hermione and Ron are here."  
  
Ginny flicked the switch on the telephone stand and Tab's cheery voice rang around the room, doing nothing for her headache but cheering her up just the same.  
  
"Hey guys!"  
  
Ron and Hermione exchanged greetings with Tab, chattering idly for a few moments as Ginny shot secret glances across at Draco who was listening into the conversation with jealousy twisting his gut; he wanted to part of this life. To have friends and family who cared if he got hurt, basically he wanted to be part of Ginny's life!  
  
"In answer to your questions; living in America is great! And I'm still seeing Grant but he's visiting his family in Chicago right now. And, guess what baby doll? I'm in London at this very moment."  
  
Ginny let out a scream of joy that caused everyone in the room to wince and even made Draco turn to look at her.  
  
"Where are you? Come and see us, I'll meet you in Diagon Alley!"  
  
Ginny shrieked, jumping up and down happily. She hadn't seen her best friend since she had left Hogwarts to go travelling after taking her OWL's. She quickly made arrangements to meet Tab at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour before downing the steaming Hangover potion Hermione put before her.  
  
"Be careful Ginny, that potion sends your Apparition Targeting out of the window for at least two hours."  
  
Hermione warned, following Ginny up the stairs to her room. Ginny made a gesture with her hands as though waving the warning away;  
  
"It's alright I'll drive."  
  
She flicked her wand at the radio and it switched itself on. She pulled open her wardrobe and scanned its contents critically, finally deciding on a pair of faded denim jeans with slices all over the place and Touch and Die printed across the back pockets, and a black Weird Sisters t-shirt. Quickly brushing her hair and shoving it back into a long ponytail she glanced up to see Hermione glowing.  
  
"Why are you so happy?"  
  
She asked suspiciously, watching Hermione flush and look at her hands in her lap.  
  
"I'm pregnant."  
  
Ginny gaped at her, her silence making Hermione look up apprehensively.  
  
"That's fantastic, Hermione! I'm going to be an aunt! No wait I'm too young to be an aunt. Oh well, how far gone are you? How long have you known? Does Ron know?"  
  
Hermione quickly shut Ginny's bedroom door and sat down on the bed next to her soon to be sister-in-law.  
  
"I haven't told him yet, I don't know how he's going to take it."  
  
Ginny placed a hand under Hermione's chin and lifted her head so she could see her eyes.  
  
"He's going to be ecstatic, he loves kids!"  
  
She assured her, giving her a quick hug before dragging her downstairs.  
  
"Ron!"  
  
She cried, banging open the kitchen door and throwing her arms around her older brother who stared at her as though she had grown an extra head.  
  
"Wonderful news!"  
  
Ron continued to stare at her, his mouth a little open as Draco looked up curiously from his Daily Prophet.  
  
"Ron... there's something I... I need to tell you."  
  
Hermione stammered, sitting opposite him and taking his hands in hers as Ginny back away to give them room.  
  
"What is it... you haven't... found someone else... oh my god... you have... I'll kill him... who is it?"  
  
Ron spluttered, trying to leap to his feet but not quite managing it as Hermione was gripping his hands and Ginny was shoving down on his shoulders trying to force him back into his seat.  
  
"No! There's no one else. It's...well... this isn't easy... you see... I'm late."  
  
She finally said in a small voice, not quite meeting his eyes as her hands tightened their hold on his.  
  
"Late for what... no!"  
  
He gasped finally cottoning on. Hermione's eyes filled with tears, he didn't want a baby after all.  
  
"This is great! Is it a boy or a girl? What shall we call it?"  
  
She jerked her head up at him incredulously to see him staring at her in excitement.  
  
"It's a girl."  
  
She whispered quietly. As a witch she knew what was growing inside her from the moment she took the test and her excitement grew as Ron whooped gleefully.  
  
"What should we call her? How about Marcella?"  
  
Ginny winced and jumped in after seeing the look on Hermione's face;  
  
"Ron! You can't name a baby after a brand of sweets!"  
  
She scolded while Draco doubled over in silent laughter behind Ron.  
  
"Well what about Alicksandreia after Great-Grandma? I've always liked that."  
  
Ginny glanced at Hermione who nodded, beaming.  
  
"Alicks it is then. Well I'm off to Diagon Alley, anyone need a lift?"  
  
Ginny glanced around the room, her eyes landing on Draco when he nodded;  
  
"Yeah, I have to get some money out of Gringotts and I need to check in at the office while I'm there."  
  
Ginny nodded and grabbed her bag, waiting patiently while Draco dashed upstairs to get ready.  
  
"I'm still not happy about him living here."  
  
Ron called out to her, breaking away from Hermione's kisses for a moment. Ginny turned to glare at him,  
  
"If you complain about him to the Order and get him in trouble, or lay one finger on him in a violent way, come to think of it, I will castrate you with a blunt knife. Do you understand me Ronald Weasley?"  
  
She hissed, narrowing her eyes at him. He flushed and opened his mouth to retort before quickly snapping it shut again when she gave him a sharp look, looking so like his mother he flinched.  
  
"Ready?"  
  
Draco called from the front door, watching as Ginny slipped on a pair of boots and waved goodbye to an oblivious Ron and Hermione.  
  
Ten minutes later Ginny was almost knocked flat by a mass of fluorescent pink hair. Laughing she hugged her best friend before pulling back, eyeing her friend critically. She did look fabulous with her short wild hair dyed bright pink and a dark tan emphasised by the denim skirt and white tank top she was dressed in.  
  
"You look great!"  
  
They cried in unison before collapsing into chairs at an outside table, Ginny ducking under the shade of the large umbrella to stop her fair skin burning while Tab protected her glittering green eyes with designer sunglasses and lay back, propping her feet up on the chair next to her.  
  
"How is being rich suiting you then?"  
  
Ginny asked, picking up the hint of an American accent in Tab's voice and fighting a wave of envy; Tab had asked her to go travelling with her but she had had to continue her studies if she wanted to become an Auror which were her long term plans, the assistant teaching job being a cover. She leaned over and took a sip of Tab's ice-cold lemonade on the table before her.  
  
"So-so, it gets pretty boring when the only people you meet are stuck up snobs or terrible star-fuckers. You never get tired of shopping though."  
  
She laughed, stretching a smooth brown leg ending in a dusty foot and a wedge sandal out; seemingly unaware that every man in that passed was sneaking looks at her.  
  
"So tell me more about this gorgeous blond guy I hear you're living with?"  
  
Tab asked slyly, raising an eyebrow when Ginny flushed.  
  
"Who told you I was living with him?"  
  
She mumbled, cursing herself for blushing.  
  
"Noah."  
  
Tab said promptly, swirling the straw around in her glass and making the ice rattle.  
  
"You know the girl could never resist some good gossip."  
  
Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes at Tab, knowing perfectly well what Noah was like.  
  
"Not much to say, it's Draco Malfoy."  
  
She replied, not quite meeting Tab's eyes, staring down at the chequered table-cloth instead.  
  
"You lucky bitch! Do you know what I'd give to spend one night under the same roof as him?"  
  
Tab cried, a lazy grin slowly lighting up Ginny's face.  
  
"What have you done with him?"  
  
Tab demanded, narrowing her eyes behind the dark glasses at Ginny, a knowing smirk curving her lips.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Ginny mumbled, looking away as Tab lowered her sunglasses so their eyes could meet, a mischievous sparkle Ginny knew only too well shimmering in their dark green depths.  
  
"Don't lie to me, Weasley. You never could and you never will be able to, I know you too well."  
  
Tab grinned at her triumphantly when Ginny described all that had happened the night before.  
  
"I don't blame you girl, that God walking over to us now is everything you want in a man."  
  
Ginny spun around in her seat to see Draco stalking over to them, his hair glowing in the sunshine, his face still pale despite the heat and his heat- attracting black jeans and black t-shirt showing off the Chinese dragon tattoo winding its way around his left upper-arm.  
  
"Still as hot as ever."  
  
She grumbled, turning back around to Tab.  
  
"Can't deny it, what with those wicked come-to-bed eyes and that promising bulge in his pants."  
  
Tab sighed earning a reproachful look from Ginny and a slap on the arm.  
  
"Hey! Yeah well can you imagine what my brothers would do if they found out anything had happened between us?"  
  
Ginny muttered, casting a dark look at Fred and George's shop in the distance.  
  
"The words; tower, locked, dragon come to mind."  
  
Tab sniggered, lifting her glasses up over her eyes and shoving them into her hair to hold it out of her face.  
  
"Mind you, I wouldn't mind it if Charlie was the one doing the rescuing."  
  
She grinned, winking at Ginny who laughed.  
  
"Tabitha Duncan, behave yourself."  
  
She giggled, shaking her head, plucking the glasses from Tab's hair and putting them on.  
  
"I thought you went on a date with that Parker guy anyway. That's what you said last time I rang."  
  
Tab creased her brow as a confused look drifted onto her face and Ginny froze at the memory.  
  
"Yeah I did, and let's just say I'm not a virgin anymore."  
  
She muttered, glad the glasses were hiding her eyes as a blush crept across her cheeks from under them.  
  
"You didn't?"  
  
Tab hissed, moving in closer to her and pulling the glasses down the bridge of her nose, letting out a shout of laughter at the defiant look in Ginny's eyes.  
  
"What's funny?"  
  
A voice said, startling Ginny as she looked up into Draco's silver eyes, the sunlight bouncing off his hair and giving him a halo, making her think he looked just like an angel. She quickly stamped on Tab's foot to shut her up before introducing them and waving Draco into a seat next to her.  
  
"Ice cream ladies?"  
  
He offered, pulling out his wallet and indicating the list of flavours on the wall by the counter.  
  
"I'll have Peppermint and Tomato flavour please."  
  
Tab said, not bothering to look at the menu as she and Ginny had spent hours at a time here once they had passed their Apparition tests and couldn't be doing with the chaos of the Burrow.  
  
Ginny wrinkled her freckled nose in disgust at Tab's choice, exchanging an amused look with Draco.  
  
"Just chocolate please."  
  
She mumbled, her face reddening once more as his eyes held hers through the dark glass longer than was necessary.  
  
"And two coffees."  
  
Tab chirped after him, waving her empty glass at him. He turned to look at them;  
  
"Sugar?"  
  
Ginny shook her head and glanced at Tab.  
  
"No thanks we're sweet enough."  
  
They replied in unison before dissolving into fits of giggles.  
  
Once Draco had left them to go to Gringotts, Tab had brought up the subject once more;  
  
"So your brothers are a bit iffy about you dating Malfoy, sorry Draco. So what? It doesn't matter who you choose they're always gonna be overprotective of you cos you're the only girl."  
  
She said wisely, watching Ginny play with her ice-cream as she scooped up hers.  
  
"I'm not dating Draco though!"  
  
Ginny hissed wistfully, slumping back in her seat and shoving her ice cream at Tab who promptly tipped it into her bowl along with her own half eaten ice cream.  
  
"Yet."  
  
Tab corrected, not looking up from her bowl.  
  
"You're not dating him yet."  
  
Ginny sighed and looked at her watch.  
  
"Where are you staying?"  
  
She asked, knowing that Tab didn't get along with her parents at all which was why she had spent most of every summer holiday at the Burrow with the Weasley's who thought her as another sister.  
  
"No idea."  
  
She replied breezily, yawning and staring around at the thinning crowds bustling from one shop to the other. She had missed Ginny and the Weasley's a lot, even though they had constantly written and phoned each other it wasn't the same as their Hogwarts days when they had been inseparable.  
  
"Problem solved, you can stay at my house. Come on let's go check on Fred and George while we're waiting for Draco."  
  
Ginny tossed a few coins onto the table for the extra coffees and waited for Tab to get to her feet.  
  
"Tab!"  
  
George cried, giving her a hug and kissing her full on the mouth before hugging Ginny. Ginny grinned and gave Harry a hug as he stepped out of Tab's embrace. Tab winked and gave Fred and Angelina a hug before advancing on Ron and Hermione sat at a table in the corner planning the new nursery.  
  
"I hear you're expecting. Congratulations."  
  
She said warmly, stooping to give them both a hug before settling down between them and babbling about names, nursery colours, pregnancy, labour, birth control, whether Hermione was going to keep the placenta as some women did and a whole lot of other things that made Ron turn pale green and excuse himself quickly.  
  
"Merlin! Why would you want to talk about something like that in front of a bloke?"  
  
He mumbled shakily to George who was pinning up new offers posters in the shop window.  
  
"No idea, but Angelina's been getting broody from all the planning."  
  
George sniggered, jerking his head back at Angelina who was stood behind the counter chattering animatedly to Ginny who was sat on the counter fiddling with her wand.  
  
"Fred a father?"  
  
Ron snorted, shaking with laughter at the mere thought of it.  
  
"I'm not complaining."  
  
Fred said, winking at his brothers as Harry and himself wandered back into the shop, one from the store cupboard and the other from the basement which doubled as extra storage and sometimes housed Order meetings as few people knew there was a basement, both carrying a sack full of what appeared to be money.  
  
"Where did you get that?"  
  
Ron asked suspiciously, eyeing the sacks nervously; he had been the guinea pig for their tests ever since Percy had left.  
  
"Fake money, brother."  
  
George said, taking a coin out of the sack and handing it to Ron.  
  
"Yeah what's it do?'  
  
He asked, examining the fat golden coin in his palm.  
  
"Well you see, you leave it on the ground and wait for someone to pick it up..."  
  
Fred said, looking at his watch in anticipation.  
  
"And thirty seconds after the body heat of someone's contact triggers it, it goes off."  
  
George continued, looking down at Fred's watch.  
  
"What do you mean goes... ARGH!"  
  
Ron bellowed as the coin released a jet of hot black liquid into his face.  
  
"Fred, George!"  
  
Hermione shrieked, using a cleaning spell to remove the stuff from Ron's face. She turned on them half in anger, half in amusement and slapped them both hard around the backs of their heads.  
  
Ron glared at them and then around the room at Ginny who had nearly fallen off the counter for laughing, Angelina who was bent over the counter clinging onto it for support and Tab who was sprawled across the couch in the corner wheezing with laughter.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
He grudgingly saw the funny side and grinned weakly at Harry who was trying to hold in his own laughter.  
  
"A wonderful invention surprisingly made by Muggles that we modified."  
  
Fred chortled, waving his wand from the sack of money to the empty display boxes randomly placed in between the shelves so the money flew out and piled into them with an almighty clinking sound.  
  
"It looks like Vandal Grease."  
  
Hermione said, staring at the used coin covered in the remains of the black liquid still in Ron's hand beadily.  
  
"Exactly. We modified it so it wasn't quite so hard to get off and sprayed hot instead."  
  
George declared, rubbing his hands together gleefully and conjuring a sign to place in the window advertising them.  
  
No one noticed that Ginny was sitting quietly gazing out of the window at Draco who had just come out of Gringotts and was heading into Flourish and Blotts not paying nay attention to the hot looks he was getting from the witches standing outside Madam Malkin's. She sighed and drew her knees up so she was sat cross-legged, her eyes never leaving his retreating figure. Maybe it wasn't so bad if they liked each other, he was in the Order after all which was a good thing. Maybe it was just her stupid overprotective family that were preventing her from being happy with him.  
  
Looking around at her family and friends she felt tears spring up in her eyes, how was she ever going to decide what to do? She loved her family so much, and Hermione, Tab and Harry were practically family anyway, she knew she couldn't hurt them. But she didn't know if she could stand the pain of refusing her heart what it so badly wanted; happiness, a family of her own, mostly someone to love her, hold her when she was lonely and always be there.  
  
She never would have thought she would be associating those things with Draco Malfoy, but she knew it felt right with him. Whether she liked it or not she was falling for the bastard and there was nothing her family, her friends or herself could do to stop it. But then again she wasn't sure she wanted to stop it. In fact she didn't think she wanted to stop it at all. 


	6. Revelations

A/N: The lyrics are from 'Big Yellow Taxi' by Counting Crows  
  
Again I don't own any of the characters besides Tab, Noah, Calista and Cliff  
  
Cheers for updating ppl, as promised another chapter, it's not very interesting this time but necessary for the story, enjoy =)  
  
Chapter Six – Revelations  
  
Don't it always seem to go  
  
That you don't know what you've got  
  
Till it's gone  
  
They paved paradise  
  
And put up a parking lot  
  
"You're leaving?"  
  
Ginny whispered, her eyes widening as she stared at Draco, the desire to leap into his arms had never been stronger.  
  
"Only for a little while. I'll be back by the end of the week; I just have to check out these leads Dumbledore's got."  
  
She lowered her eyes, afraid he'd see the despair burning in them at the thought of not being near him if only for a week. He slowly reached out and put a finger under her chin, gently raising her face so he could see her.  
  
"I promise nothing will hurt you while I'm gone."  
  
He said softly, fighting the futile hope that what he saw in her eyes was sadness at him leaving. Suddenly the need to hold her overwhelmed him and he snatched his hand away from her face and took a swift step back trying to control himself.  
  
"I'm going to go pack."  
  
He said roughly, turning on his heel and marching up the stairs. Ginny watched him go before walking unsteadily into the kitchen, her mind upside down and her feelings all over the place.  
  
Most uncharacteristically she headed straight for the fridge and pulled out a bottle of vodka left over from the party, sloshing it into a glass and chucking in some ice. She took a huge gulp, her shaking hand making the ice rattle and her eyes watering at the strength of the drink.  
  
"I'm ready."  
  
Draco stopped dead in the doorway when he caught sight of Ginny standing behind the breakfast bar with a glass in her hand looking so like his mother from his old Hogwarts days that he shuddered.  
  
He didn't say anything and she didn't look up, seeming not to have noticed him in the doorway.  
  
"Draco."  
  
She whispered, causing him to freeze and turn slowly to look at her, her eyes not focused on him but staring fixedly at a blank spot on the wall besides his head.  
  
"Will you write to me?"  
  
She blushed as she said it and his heart leapt at what she might mean before his usual cool demeanour returned and he stared at her.  
  
"Of course."  
  
A genuine smile broke over her face and he grinned back;  
  
"Hey look, Ginny. I want you to have something while I'm gone."  
  
He pulled something out of his pocket and quickly crossed the room and dropped something glittering and vaguely warm into her palm, closing her fingers over it before she could see what he was giving her.  
  
"I'll be back to get it."  
  
He promised, leaning in close to her and brushing a couple of stray red locks behind her ear with his fingers, his thumb caressing her cheek. She sighed and rubbed her freckled cheek against his palm, her eyes fluttering closed as his lips closed in on hers and she didn't try and resist him as he kissed her briefly on the lips before Apparating out of the house. Slowly she looked down at her hand and released her grip to look at what he had given her. It was a small silver signet ring with the Malfoy crest engraved on it dangling from a long delicate silver chain.  
  
She smiled and slipped it over her head, dropping it under her t-shirt and picking up the phone.  
  
"Tab? Can you come over I am in need of some serious girl talk."  
  
"He gave you this?"  
  
Tab asked, holding the chain up to the light so she could see it better. Ginny nodded as she came back into the room and collapsed onto the opposite end of the couch, handing Tab her coffee and slouching back into the cushions.  
  
"And he didn't tell you where he was going?"  
  
Tab said shrugging and handing Ginny the necklace, slowly sipping her coffee and staring out of the window thoughtfully.  
  
"No, just that he has to check out some leads Dumbledore had and that he'd be back soon."  
  
Tab looked at her meditatively before taking a gulp of her coffee and placing it resolutely on the low glass table before them, pulling her legs up and tucking them underneath her.  
  
"Well that gives us, what, about a week?"  
  
It was more of a statement then a question and Ginny stiffened at the mischievous look in her friend's eyes.  
  
"I suppose so."  
  
She said slowly, not understanding what the point was.  
  
"Then we have a week to make him want you more than he obviously already does."  
  
Tab winked at Ginny who flushed and shook her head, mumbling something about Tab still being as crazy as she was in Hogwarts.  
  
"Well yes but that's not the point at the moment is it. The point is we are going on a major shopping trip for some serious retail therapy."  
  
She said happily, getting to her feet and dragging a protesting Ginny up with her;  
  
"But Tab! I like my own style."  
  
She grumbled, glaring at Tab who was pulling on her high-heeled boots and grabbing her bag.  
  
"And we're not going to change it. Just improve it a little bit."  
  
Ginny glowered at her but somehow found herself pulling on her shoes and Flooing through the fireplace to the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
"Morning, Tom."  
  
Tab said airily, breezing through the bar and flashing a dazzling smile at the barkeeper who gaped at her, not having seen her since her Hogwarts years she had changed a lot. Tab didn't stop as they entered Diagon Alley; she simply marched straight through to Fred and George's joke shop.  
  
"Come on girls, we're going for some good old fashioned retail therapy."  
  
She announced to the room. Everyone stared up at her before bursting into a flurry of activity; Hermione quickly kissed Ron on the cheek and somehow managed to get the key to their joint-vault before pulling on her jacket and wandering over to stand next to Tab. Angelina simply closed the till after the last customer had gone, grabbed her jacket and bag from the storeroom and stalked out of the shop after the others, barely stopping to give Fred a kiss on the lips before pulling the door closed behind her with a slight jingle of the bell.  
  
"Well."  
  
Harry broke the stunned silence with a gale of laughter at the looks on the other boys' faces.  
  
"That was kind of scary."  
  
George muttered, watching the four girls meet another two before disappearing giggling into a shop none of the boys would ever even think about entering.  
  
"God help anyone who tries to get in their way."  
  
Ron said weakly, noticing Hermione had taken the key to their vault and looking close to fainting.  
  
"Noah!"  
  
Ginny shrieked, giving her other best friend a hug and a kiss on both cheeks. The French girl had transferred to Hogwarts from Beaxbauton's after third year and had immediately got on extremely well with everyone in her year, especially the boys since she was part Veela.  
  
At the moment she had her silvery blonde hair cut short with thick razored bangs just below her shoulders at all different lengths. Her huge violet eyes were surrounded by thick black lashes and her snub nose had a small sprinkling of freckles across it making her look younger than she was.  
  
As usual she was dressed in the height of fashion in a yellow and white chequered wrap over skirt, and a white t-shirt.  
  
"I haven't seen you for ages! Sorry I couldn't get to your party but my sister went into St Mungo's for emergency treatment and I had to take care of my nieces."  
  
Noah rolled her eyes before moving onto Tab while Ginny gave Noah's best friend, Calista a hug. Calista was the quietest of the four and a late developer. She was still quite unsure around boys as they hadn't discovered her until her last year. Since then she had had her bouncy black ringlets straightened into a sleek wave over her left eye and down her back, emphasising her pale skin and shockingly blue eyes.  
  
Ginny made her spin around before her so she could check out her friend's adorable outfit which fit Calista's personality perfectly. The small neat beige shorts were perfectly cut and tailored and the matching crop top with long sleeves shoved a lot of flesh but only her shoulders and navel, fitting in with the innocently seductive side of her.  
  
All in all the six of them had many male eyes following them as they wandered down the streets, chattering idly and catching up with gossip.  
  
Collapsing onto her bed that night, Ginny surveyed the pile of boxes and bags of clothes scattered around her room and winced, her pay check definitely won't like that. She jumped as a soft tapping noise filled the room; a hawk owl was scratching at the window against the night breeze. Recognising it as Draco's owl she quickly crossed the room and pulled open the window, taking the owl over to her own owl's perch and filling up the water bowl. She dropped onto her bed and looked down at the expensive roll of parchment in her hand.  
  
Dear Ginny, As promised I'm writing to you, though I'm not sure what you want me to say. As I can't be there I'm sending someone else to look after you until I get back; do you remember Cliff Orion from Slytherin? Well he's the closest thing I have to a best friend and he's agreed to come and stay with you until I get back.  
  
Ginny stared at the paper, a slight smile on her face; she remembered Cliff very well. He was the male slut Tab had had a huge crush on since her first year, only missing out on his sexual trip round the school because she was dating a Ravenclaw and felt too cruel to finish him for a one night stand with a Slytherin. If he was going to be living here, and Tab was going to be living here it was going to get very interesting.  
  
Not much is happening here, the first lead Dumbledore had managed to escape but there are two Auror's tracking him for us for the moment. You know I never thought I'd miss you nagging me, but it's weird, it's too quiet without your mumbling in your sleep.  
  
"I do not talk in my sleep!" Ginny growled at the parchment, shooting Draco's owl a filthy look when she hooted in agreement with Draco.  
  
Well Cliff should be arriving at about six tonight and you have my permission to hex him back to hell if he tries anything.  
  
Ginny snorted with laughter as she read on, the handwriting changing from neat and elegant to flamboyant scrawl.  
  
Helloooo Ginny it's me, Cliff! I stunned Draco and right now he's mouthing all sorts of obscenities at me, maybe I should have left his mouth stunned. Anywho I shall be at your place by six o'clock as Drama Queen over there has already told you, keep that bed warm for me, love! I hear that dishy Tabitha Duncan is living with you, just out of interest is she still single? Well I'm off now as Draco managed to mutter the counter curse is about to throttle me. Toodles! Lots of love Cliff and Drama Queen Draco XOXOXOXOXOX  
  
Ginny was shaking with laughter as she moved on to Draco's part of the letter.  
  
I'm back now, stupid son-of-a...Draco watch your language, especially to your only friend! I suppose you find it funny that he's bewitched my quill to write whatever he says the second he says it? Not sure about Draco but I know I sure do! Well this letter is going to end up landing me a permanent place in St Mungo's.  
  
Ginny was now laughing so hard she had to drop the letter and take a sip of her water before she could on reading.  
  
Well I shall finish here I suppose. Good luck living with Cliff, if he manages to get there because I'm likely to do him some serious damage if he continues!  
  
Draco  
  
X  
  
Ginny wiped the tears of mirth from her cheeks and rolled the letter up before dropping it into her old jewellery box. Deciding to take a shower now rather than risk one once Cliff got there, she quickly turned on the water and scrubbed her body free of the day's dirt.  
  
"Gin?"  
  
Ginny wrapped a towel around herself and stepped out of the bathroom, almost killing herself when Hades stalked right in front of her, winding his way through her legs.  
  
"Bloody cat!"  
  
She swore before performing a quick drying spell on herself, slipping into a pair of shorts and a tank top and pulling open her bedroom door.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
She called, listening to Tab banging around in the kitchen.  
  
"Since I can't cook to save my life do you fancy a take away?"  
  
Ginny thought she had had a heat attack when her heart tried to break out of her chest in terror;  
  
"As long as it's Chinese."  
  
A familiar voice called out from the drawing room, scaring the life out of Ginny and making Tab scream and drop the glass fruit bowl she was holding with an almighty crash.  
  
Ginny raced down the stairs and slid to halt in front of Cliff Orion, his long black hair pulled back into a loose ponytail that didn't do anything to stop the strands at the front drifting into his navy blue eyes. The smirk on his face widened as his eyes took in Ginny, his long arms folded as he leaned against the doorframe, looking tall, broody and extremely attractive.  
  
A second crash startled them both as Tab dropped the newly repaired fruit bowl in the archway leading from the dining room to the drawing room, her eyes wide and staring at Cliff. He arched an eyebrow at her, his eyes taking a very long time to drift down her endless brown legs, clearly on show in the briefest of Ginny's shorts and up over her mid-drift and chest, barely contained in a tight white crop top with, 'Look! A Pair That Stare Back!' emblazoned across the front.  
  
By the time his eyes reached her face, Tab was cursing herself for not making more of an effort with her outfit and shooting poisonous glances at a frozen Ginny for not telling her that her childhood obsession was likely to walk into their house at any minute.  
  
"Hello love."  
  
He said, stalking over to Ginny and planting a kiss on her blushing cheek. Tab's furious glare was lost before it began when Cliff turned to her and kissed her full on the mouth, pulling her towards him as he did so.  
  
"You I shall save for later."  
  
He grinned before glancing into the kitchen and taking in the number of takeaway leaflets scattered over the breakfast bar.  
  
"Chinese? My treat."  
  
He said, summoning the top leaflet with his wand. Ginny and Tab nodded and he grinned before slouching into a chair by the fire and laying the leaflet on the coffee table before him. He then looked very hard at the menu before announcing his choice loudly and clearly to the room, his eyes still fixed on the menu. No sooner had the words left this mouth then his order appeared on the table before him and he looked questioningly over at the girls.  
  
Ginny laughed at the look on Tab's face, her eyes not even taking in the food as she was still staring at Cliff, her cool demeanour and kick-ass attitude for the moment on hold.  
  
"We'll have what ever you're having."  
  
She said, watching as Tab blushed and slumped onto the couch, not looking at Cliff now, her old self beginning to resurface. Ginny shook her head knowing full well that fireworks were on the way before dropping down onto the carpet in front of the fire and stretching her legs out before her as her meal appeared besides her.  
  
Cliff quickly chucked the right amount of coins plus a tip onto the menu and the money sank in leaving behind three fortune cookies and a receipt.  
  
They ate in silence for a while before Tab came to her senses and became her usual bubbly, flirting self, keeping the conversation flowing and obviously intriguing Cliff as his eyes hardly ever left her. After about an hour of this, when their meals had been finished and Cliff and Tab were deep into a conversation Ginny wasn't included in, she sighed and got to her feet.  
  
"I'm going to reply to Draco's letter."  
  
She stammered, blushing as Cliff winked at her. He tossed her the only fortune cookie unopened and she caught it one handed; her reflexes some of the best from playing seeker in the Quidditch matches with her friends against her brothers.  
  
Dear Draco  
Cliff got here fine, almost giving me a heart attack and he's already stolen Tab's heart. I have the uncomfortable feeling I'm going to get stuck being the third wheel until you get back so you better make it quick! You're cat decided to kill me this afternoon, he seemed to find it amusing to get under my feet while I'm not looking where I'm going. So if he's dead by the time you get back it's likely I stepped on him.  
  
Ginny glared at Hades who was curled up on her bed with Zophyla, both sleeping contentedly after tearing apart three of Ginny's cushions.  
  
And your devil-spawn of a pet is leading my puppy astray; they went on a crime spree this morning while we were out and destroyed the neighbour's garden. And about these 'leads' you're following up, just don't do anything stupid O.K Draco?  
  
Ginny sighed and looked down at the letter, why was it so hard to find stuff to talk about? She shook her head and pushed the piece of parchment to the side, scrabbling across her desk for another piece but not finding any. She clicked her tongue impatiently and decided Draco must have some.  
  
His room was dark and wonderfully cool; she trailed her hand along the edge of his bed on her way to his desk. She slumped in his chair and pulled open the drawer; lifting out the pile of parchment she caught sight of her name on a letter beneath the pile. Pulling it out and glancing at the door to check no one was outside.  
  
The letter was addressed to Draco from Cliff and was dated as the first week they had moved into the new house.  
  
...you need to sort yourself out mate. You've changed a lot lately, for the better mind, but you still haven't said anything to her? I know she's a Weasley but come on, she's still a woman and you're still a guy...  
  
Ginny's heart leapt as she read on, hardly daring to hope that he might feel the same way as her.  
  
...you're going to be living together for Merlin knows how long, I think that's time enough to figure out how she feels. Just don't go doing something stupid and leaping on her or something, she's not the kind of girl to fall for your charms. I've seen you when you turn on the charm and it definitely won't work. Try being the sweet Draco, the one only I've seen when you let your guard down...  
  
Ginny felt a smile heat up her face and she didn't need to read any more. She slipped the letter back into the drawer and quickly left the room, wandering out into the hallway and down to the window at the end opposite. She dropped into the window seat and drew her knees up to her chin, turning to gaze out of the window at the moonlight drenched garden as she mulled over her thoughts.  
  
Draco appeared more than once in her mind and she rang her fingertip along the edge of the necklace he had given her to look after, her head falling back against the window frame.  
  
Realising she still had her fortune cookie in her pocket she pulled it out and broke it open, unravelling the fortune she tossed the cookie shell into the wastepaper basket inside Tab's room, the door still wide open.  
  
'Strong friendships are often the basis for a passionate relationship.'  
  
Ginny read the fortune softly, her mind ticking over who it could mean, she knew who she wanted it to mean of course but when did what she wanted ever make a difference? She sighed and got to her feet, leaning over the balcony she saw Cliff and Tab still nose to nose on the sofa talking and laughing and she felt a surge of jealousy, she did miss Draco a lot more than she was admitting to anyone, even Tab.  
  
Gently closing her door behind her she sat at her desk and looked down at her letter to Draco, scribbling a few more lines she hoped would make him laugh she signed her name at the bottom and was about to seal it when Zophyla sniffled from the bed, looking up at her with big doleful eyes until she sighed once more.  
  
"Alrite, alright."  
  
She muttered, rolling her own eyes before adding 'love' above her name and jotting a few kisses down beneath it.  
  
"Happy?"  
  
She muttered, rolling it up and sealing it with her wand before calling over to Draco's owl, quickly tying it to her leg, carrying her over to the window.  
  
"Take this back to your master for me. And make sure he writes back; peck him to death if you have to."  
  
She whispered, stroking the owl's sleek head before releasing it out of the window and watching it fade into the distance as it flew away. Shaking her head she quickly changed and got into bed, her last memory before sleep overcame her was Draco's necklace cradled in her hand, soothing her subconscious worries.  
  
Draco stared out of his window, his pale forehead pressed against the cold glass, his insides twisted with jealousy as though being prodded with burning pokers every time he thought of Cliff living in the same house as Ginny when he wasn't there. He groaned at the thought of her and squeezed his eyes shut, his breath fogging the window. Eventually he climbed into bed and lay back, his arms behind his head as he gazed up at the blank underneath of his overhead canopy. Sighing he closed his eyes, allowing the one comforting thought he kept well hidden to float to his mind, losing himself in thoughts of a wave of fiery red hair, huge brown eyes, a sleepless-night inducing creamy body and sweet laughter that made him smile, even the mere memory of it.  
  
He turned over onto his side and ran his finger over the necklace she had given him for his birthday, he never took it off and the feel of its cool metal against his skin soothed him. He gave in as sleep washed over him, his dreams as full of Ginny as his waking moments were. 


	7. Prophecies

A/N: The lyrics are from 'U Got It Bad' by Usher  
  
As always I don't own any of the characters Tab and Cliff  
  
It's called 'Prophecies' because apparently when u have a dream and then cant remember it the next day it's supposed to be a vision, or so it says in this book thing my friend got me for Christmas hehe  
  
Thanx to all for reviewing, you all rock! This chapter aint very long so apologies for that but ah well enjoy =) cheer babes xx  
  
Chapter Seven – Prophecies  
  
You know you got it bad when you're stuck in the house  
You don't wanna have fun  
It's all you think about  
You got it bad when you're out with someone  
But you keep on thinkin' bout somebody else  
You got it bad  
  
"Come on girl, you have to get out of the house, you can't just stay in here for the rest of your life."  
  
Ginny looked up at Tab, her eyes huge and hollow, it had been three months since Draco had left to follow up Dumbledore's leads and he had never returned. His letters had slowed to one a week but no one would tell Ginny where he was or when he would come back. What made everything worse was Tab and Cliff were now officially a couple, Tab having rang Grant a few weeks ago to end it, and though they tried to hide it they were very much all over each other, having to touch all the time even if it was just a hand on the cheek.  
  
Day after day she sat in his room, re-reading the letters he had sent her over and over, hardly eating and even less often leaving the house.  
  
"Please, Ginny, please?"  
  
Tab pleaded, nearly knocking Ginny over giving her a hug when she agreed. She quickly propelled Ginny into the bathroom and into the shower.  
  
Half an hour later she was slumped on the couch in Fred and George's joke shop pretending to be interested in Hermione's baby talk. The baby was due in a few months and she was now obsessed, reading every book about pregnancy and labour she could get her hands on and forcing Ron to watch a video of a woman giving birth which gave him nightmares for a week.  
  
Ginny nodded in all the right places, occasionally mumbling a yes or no where it was needed but not taking in any of what she was saying.  
  
"Is she O.K?"  
  
Fred asked anxiously, his eyes flickering over to his baby sister then back to Tab who was telling them all about Ginny's not eating.  
  
"Not at all, she hasn't been to work for days; I have to keep ringing in saying she's ill."  
  
Angelina glanced at Ginny huddled in her jacket and felt a great surge of pity.  
  
"She liked him a lot didn't she?"  
  
She whispered to Tab, lowering her voice even more when George and Ron stopped talking to turn and listen to them.  
  
"She really did, she still does. I'm so scared guys."  
  
Tab whispered, tears straining her voice.  
  
"If he doesn't come back soon, I'm afraid it's going to kill her. She can't handle it; her body's weak as it is."  
  
Ron gulped, his eyes widening as he stared at his little sister in terror, she wouldn't die would she? She couldn't die; she couldn't leave them all before she was an aunt.  
  
Ginny pretended she couldn't hear what her family was saying about her, politely smiling at Hermione when she showed her a scan of the baby. So she was going to die was she? Maybe she would, she wasn't afraid of dying; no what scared her more was that she might actually welcome death.  
  
"Is she going to the ball with you tonight?"  
  
Angelina asked Tab, both of them still watching Ginny fearfully. Tab nodded before turning to Harry.  
  
"I'm determined to get her to go, I'll tie her to my broom and fly her ass there if I have to."  
  
Harry gave her a weak grin and joined the conversation.  
  
"That's a good thing I suppose, maybe she'll meet some nice guy who'll take her mind off Malfoy."  
  
Tab stared at him meditatively for a second making him blush.  
  
"I never understood why you two didn't get together; we were all just waiting for it really."  
  
Harry turned a dark shade of crimson and looked down at the floor, running a hand through his messy black hair.  
  
"Dunno really, we were always too close, more like brother and sister than anything else. We did try kissing a few times but we always ended up laughing, it felt too weird."  
  
Ron snapped his eyes over to Harry, striding over to him closely followed by George and Fred.  
  
"What?"  
  
He said sharply, making them jump and turn to look at him.  
  
"Oh don't start Ron, you always said if it had to be somebody for your little sister, you'd prefer to be Harry then some person you don't know never mind trust."  
  
Tab said impatiently, shoving Ron out of her way as she bent over the counter to get a bottle of water from her bag.  
  
"Yeah well..."  
  
Ron muttered, thrusting his hands into his pockets and looking down at the floor.  
  
"Oh shut up Ronald, you're much too overprotective of the women in your life. I mean if you had noticed that your fiancée was drooling over a picture of Viktor Krum in 'Quidditch Weekly' you'd most likely have gone into a jealous rage and stamped on the magazine by now."  
  
George cackled, nodding his head in Hermione's direction before winking at the others when Ron turned his back furiously.  
  
"What!"  
  
Ron howled, marching over to Hermione and snatching the magazine she was holding out of her hand.  
  
"Ron?! What are you doing?"  
  
Hermione shrieked, staring at him as though he'd gone mad.  
  
Ron glanced down at the magazine he had scrunched up in his hand and winced; it was a baby magazine advertising baby clothes.  
  
"George you..."  
  
He bellowed at George who was smirking at him innocently, he was about to call him a few of the names he usually only saved for Snape and Malfoy when Hermione clapped a hand over his mouth  
  
"Don't you dare swear in front of those children, Ronald Weasley!"  
  
She warned, her eyes flashing dangerously as she tightened her grip on his cheeks. He nodded at her with widened eyes as she indicated the group of Hogwart's students, first years by the look of them, sniggering at him from behind a shelf filled with Fred and George's merchandise.  
  
"Well I better get Ginny home so we can get ready for the party, Cliff should have picked up his tux by now. Merlin he's worse than a girl when it comes to clothes; they have to be the right length, the right style, the right fit, the right cut."  
  
Tab rolled her eyes before kissing Angelina on the cheek, giving each of the boys a hug, George managing to steal a kiss on the lips again, before bustling over to rescue Ron and Ginny from Hermione who was ranting and raving at them about Ron's behaviour.  
  
"Bye doll."  
  
She grinned, kissing Ron on the cheek and grabbing Hermione's flailing arm to kiss her too before pulling Ginny over to say goodbye to everyone.  
  
"Please Gin please please please?"  
  
Tab pleaded, she was desperately worried about her best friend but she knew there was nothing she could do for her. At the moment she was trying to convince Ginny to attend the ball a distant cousin of Tab's was throwing but it was proving a lot more difficult than usual.  
  
"Please? I've put the Detector's up all over the house and gardens, if he shows up we'll know!"  
  
Ginny sighed and stared out of the window, she supposed she should go to the party, not that she wanted to but it would make Tab feel better and it wasn't fair to take her misery out on Tab. Admitting defeat she agreed and let Tab drag her into the shower, do her hair and makeup and force her into a long black ball dress.  
  
Trailing up the long drive leading to the front door of the mansion Tab's cousin lived in, Ginny kept her eyes on the floor and cursed herself for agreeing to this. She obediently danced a couple of dances with the many men queuing up before she made her excuses and fled to the ladies.  
  
Looking in the mirror she doubted she had ever looked more miserable, there was no warmth in her eyes any more and the weight was just dropping off her, a few more weeks and she'd be a skeleton. Tab skipped into the room and whirled her off for another dance, determined not to let her have a second to think about Draco.  
  
After three more men had danced with her, her face was aching from forcing herself to smile and she just wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Feeling a familiar grip on her she stared up into a pair of steel grey eyes framed by a halo of blond hair and she felt her knees give way.  
  
Draco held her up and led her out of the room and down into the garden where they could have some peace. At first she collapsed into his arms and he held her, stroking her hair and murmuring endearments into her ear, but then the full impact of what was happening hit her and she jerked away from him. Glaring up at him with anger blazing in her eyes she pummelled his chest hard with both of her fists until he pulled her into his embrace and she stood with her head against his chest, hearing his heart beating slightly faster than normal against her ear.  
  
"You son of a bitch."  
  
She muttered quietly, feeling tears well up in her eyes at the hell he'd put her through for the last few months, she pulled away and glared up at him.  
  
"Where the hell have you been?"  
  
She hissed, her anger increasing when she saw how devastatingly handsome he looked silhouetted by the silver moonlight, his hands thrust into the pockets of his tuxedo.  
  
"Well after the first week I was on my way to check out when Dumbledore appeared, telling me he had an undercover case I had to go on as no one else had gotten deeper than me the first time around. I couldn't even tell Cliff where I was going as I didn't know and once I got there I was stuck. There was no way I could get out until the mission had been completed, all letters were checked which is why I had to keep writing simple notes once a week. Hell even the bloody owls were frisked before we got our letters."  
  
He said bitterly, glowering moodily into the distance, not looking at her for fear of what he might end up doing. After a few minutes of silence he couldn't help himself and he turned to look at her. She was gazing out at the sea which was just visible beyond the sloping lawns that made the gardens for the mansion, tears were silently slipping over her cheeks and her hair was escaping its jewelled clip and whipping across her face slowly in the breeze. Her skin was milky white in the moonlight and her dress made the slightest rustling sound as it blew against her legs, to Draco she looked like a living statue, and she had never looked more beautiful.  
  
He moved in closer towards her, raising a hand to pull her towards him but she moved away. He didn't let that stop him but continued to lower his head towards hers, slowly inching his mouth closer and closer to hers, his eyes fluttering closed until a stinging blow across his face made him stumble back, his eyes flying open as he lifted his hand to his cheek.  
  
"That was for leaving."  
  
She snapped, shaking her hand at the burning sensations shooting through it. A grin slowly spread over his face as he took a step towards her once more, leaning in until they were the same distance as before.  
  
"And for coming back?"  
  
He breathed, his eyes never leaving hers as her breathing quickened.  
  
"I haven't decided yet."  
  
She whispered back, feeling his cold hand on the small of her back, pulling her towards him.  
  
"Well there's just one problem."  
  
He murmured, his lips just brushing hers as he spoke before he pulled back slightly.  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
She asked impatiently, the only problem she could think of right then was the several inches difference in space between her lips and his.  
  
"At the moment I am freezing, and there are certain parts of my body I can't feel that I would like to have full use of later in life."  
  
He grinned, briefly pressing his lips against hers before taking her hand in his and leading her back into the house.  
  
"You're back!"  
  
Tab shrieked, throwing herself on Draco when he had entered the mansion. Ginny stared at Tab incredulously, what was she doing?  
  
"I'm so glad you're back, because now Cliff and I don't need to feel guilty about having fun. You and Ginny here can make your own, and on that note, me and Cliff are crashing here and then going on a trip to the seaside tomorrow for the weekend, so you have the house to yourselves. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"  
  
She called as Cliff dragged her upstairs after briefly hugging Draco and kissing Ginny on the cheek.  
  
"Well that leaves room for a lot of things then!"  
  
Ginny shouted back, laughing as Tab stuck her tongue out at her as Cliff swung her over his shoulder and carried her up the stairs, the pair of them screaming with laughter.  
  
"Do you want to stay here for a while?"  
  
Draco asked, turning to Ginny.  
  
"No let's go home, its pretty late we should get to bed."  
  
She blushed when she realised what she had said and looked down at the floor in embarrassment.  
  
"I meant... we should go back and get some sleep."  
  
She stammered, glaring at Draco when he gave a shout of laughter. She punched him on the arm before Apparating back to Sparrow House and collapsing onto the couch. She jumped as Draco Apparated right next to her with a start.  
  
She looked at him for a few seconds before pulling him towards her for a kiss, she lay back on the couch, pulling him on top of her and he had to use every ounce of restrain he had to himself control. Deepening the kiss Ginny twisted his hair around her finger and allowed him to open her mouth with his tongue, his hands caressing her sides.  
  
"Ginny?"  
  
He whispered against her lips and she melted, staring up at him with desire in his eyes almost matching his. He knew he was going to regret it later but he had to make sure;  
  
"Ginny, how far do you want me to go? I don't want you to do something tonight you'll regret tomorrow."  
  
She stared at him as she took in what he was saying, her heart pounding as fast as she could feel his was beneath her fingers.  
  
"Maybe we shouldn't tonight, to be sure."  
  
He answered for her, getting up before he could change his mind. He kissed her gently on the lips and retreated to his bedroom.  
  
Ginny lay back down on the couch, staring up at the ceiling where curious shadows were being cast by the flickering flames in the fireplace. She knew it was getting harder and harder for the two of them to break and way and sooner or later he wasn't going to stop. She kind of liked the idea and smiled to herself; yes she wouldn't stop him next time, she was ready for this.  
  
Creeping into her bed ten minutes later she suddenly felt cold and a bad feeling swept over her. She quickly scrambled out of bed and tiptoed down the hall to Draco's room to check he was still there. When she saw him sleeping peacefully she couldn't resist brushing his hair out of his eyes and she shuddered as she thought of her lonely cold bed down the hall. It couldn't hurt could it? She thought to herself before slipping under his quilts and snuggling up to his warmth.  
  
"Gin?"  
  
He mumbled sleepily, feeling someone next to him and hoping it was her not bloody Pansy trying it on again.  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
She mumbled, her eyes closed as she pulled the blanket over her.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
He asked gently, praying to god she was going to give him the answer he wanted. She didn't;  
  
"You don't mind do you? I had a terrible feeling when I got into my bed."  
  
She felt him shake his head next to her and she arched her body into his, snuggling her head into the pillow and curling her arms together under her chin. He shuffled his arm under her and held her towards him, thinking how ironic it was that he had used all his strength to stop himself before and now she had come to him. He rested his other arm on her hip, his lips right next to her forehead.  
  
"Ginny?"  
  
He mumbled into her hair, she made a non committal noise in the back of her throat to prove she was listening.  
  
"I'm glad you're here and everything but..."  
  
Ginny's eyes flew open and she stared at his silhouette.  
  
"But?"  
  
She prompted, licking her lips nervously, pressing against his chest as his heartbeat thundered in her ear, calm and rhythmic.  
  
"Could I possibly have some of my covers back?"  
  
He laughed, hearing the tension in her voice. She laughed and wiggled around a bit to loosen the covers up from around them; she started and looked up at him when he groaned;  
  
"Merlin! You can't do that when you're pressed up against me girl! If you're gonna do that you have to follow it up with something, I can't handle it if you don't. You're gonna kill me one day."  
  
He moaned when she did it again and she giggled doing it once more before she sensed he was serious about what he had said and she snuggled back down into the bed, his heart beat lulling her to sleep.  
  
Draco lay and listened to her breathing for a logn time, the exquisite agony of holding her this close but knowing she still wasn't his was killing him more than she'd ever know. Eventually her rhythmic breathing eased him into sleep and he spent the night dreaming of his and Ginny's children, yet when he woke up the next morning, he couldn't remember any of it. 


	8. Malfoy's Can Love

A/N: The lyrics are from 'Sleep Together' by Garbage  
  
Once again I own none of the characters except Tab and Parker  
  
Well here ya go, all the tension that was built up is finally release somewhat. I know it's not very long again but there wasn't much else to write that fitted in really, unoriginal name I know but I couldn't think of a better one.  
  
Now the reason Harry and Ron are always at the shop is because they're all on the same Quidditch team, which Oliver Wood coaches, but as it's the middle of a heat wave (in England! HA wishful thinkin) they only train in the last few hours of daylight when it's cooler.  
  
Angelina is working there over the holidays as she is the Professor of flying and referee for Hogwarts so has nothing much to do until term starts.  
  
And the reason Hermione's always there is because she's a Professor at Hogwarts and it's the summer holidays so she's doing some research for the Order, that involves a lot of books naturally, and she has them all stored in Fred and George's basement.  
  
Thanks for all the reviews; I didn't know ppl liked it so much! Please keep reviewing it really helps =) cheers babes xx  
  
Chapter Eight – Malfoy's Can Love  
  
If we sleep together  
Will you like me better?  
If we come together  
We'll go down forever  
  
Ginny awoke panicking the next day when Draco wasn't besides her in the bed, until she saw a note covered in familiar handwriting on the pillow next to her head.  
  
Gin  
  
Gone to Diagon Alley to sort some stuff out, meet me at Madam Puddifoot's this afternoon and we'll go for something to eat.  
  
Draco  
  
X  
  
Ginny grinned and tossed the note into the bin by his desk before creeping down the eerily silent hallway to her room for a shower.  
  
Checking her reflection in her mirror ten minutes later, she was so preoccupied making sure everything was in her bag and her hair was alright, that she didn't even notice the single red rose lying on her desk with a small card underneath it.  
  
"What's up, Gin?"  
  
Fred asked as his sister walked into the shop with an ice-cold bottle of water clutched to her face.  
  
"It's so bloody hot!"  
  
She grumbled, rubbing the bottle all over her face and down her neck.  
  
"Besides that?"  
  
George chipped in, not looking up from the list of the month's profits.  
  
"Oh not much, my brain is frying and I'm losing touch with reality."  
  
Harry raised an eyebrow at her and she rolled her eyes grinning.  
  
"Of course you wouldn't understand that because that's how you two usually function."  
  
She told Fred and George who looked up at her with the same eyebrow raised.  
  
"That was uncalled for."  
  
She smiled sweetly at them before kissing Harry and Ron on the cheek as a hello and wandering over to Hermione who was sat in her usual spot at the back of the store.  
  
"Hermione?"  
  
Ginny said nervously, dropping into a seat besides Hermione.  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
Hermione muttered, only briefly glancing up from her book to see who was talking to her. Seeing Ginny looking so nervous however, made her close the book and put it on the table before her, carefully marking her page. Ginny gave her a weak smile, her hands twisting together in her lap as she fiddled with the edge of her knee-length red skirt, using a fingernail to prod one of the white roses pattered all over it.  
  
"What's wrong, Ginny?"  
  
Hermione asked in alarm, Ginny's miraculous recovery the night before had pleased them all so it was slightly unnerving to see her so nervous again.  
  
"It's well, sex basically. Look, I dunno if I feel comfortable talking about this to a pregnant person."  
  
Ginny mumbled, wishing more than ever that Tab had left an address where she could be reached until she got home. Hermione arched an eyebrow at Ginny and took one of her trembling hands in hers.  
  
"Well Ginny, how do you think I got pregnant?"  
  
Ginny shot her a startled look and stared at her through widened eyes.  
  
"I don't want to know that, that's my brother we're talking about. That's disgusting!"  
  
Ginny looked revolted by the every thought of Ron and Hermione, she knew they must have sex but thinking about it was way too far to go. Hermione laughed and shook her head before looking back at Ginny.  
  
"So what is it?"  
  
Ginny was very uncomfortable now, nervously adjusting the front of the white lace corset top she was wearing and lowering her head so far Hermione was staring at a stylish red bun with two clear white Chinese sticks holding it up.  
  
"Are you talking about losing your virginity?"  
  
Hermione asked gently, lowering her head so her mouth was near Ginny's ear. Ginny nodded, shook her head then shrugged.  
  
"I've already lost my virginity."  
  
She said in a small voice making Hermione stare in surprise, she quickly pulled herself together and lifted Ginny's head so she could see her furiously blushing face.  
  
"I mean, I slept with someone but it wasn't what I wanted. I'm not making any sense am I?"  
  
She sighed, Hermione shook her head kindly but she was gnawing on her lower lip as she always did when she was worried. Ginny thought back on what she'd said and gasped, shaking her head vigorously.  
  
"No! I didn't mean that, I meant when I slept with him I just wanted the experience so I wouldn't be a total loss to..."  
  
Ginny trailed off, she had almost said 'Draco' and that would have dropped her right in it with her family.  
  
"Ginny, are you planning on sleeping with this someone that you care a lot for?"  
  
Hermione coaxed, her voice lower than ever as Ron, Harry, Fred and George were giving them suspicious looks. Ginny didn't reply, she just nodded and Hermione swallowed before continuing.  
  
"Well if you mean that much to each other, there's nothing to worry about."  
  
Hermione said gently, smiling when Ginny looked up at her gratefully.  
  
"Thanks Hermione."  
  
She said looking relieved at this information and swiftly pulling herself together.  
  
"You seem very good at that."  
  
She said slowly, winking at Hermione who blushed.  
  
"Well Ron always did everything right without me having to advise him."  
  
Ginny looked close to fainting as she slapped Hermione on the arm.  
  
"Hermione!"  
  
She shuddered and glanced over at Ron who was laughing over something with Harry.  
  
"No, I remember giving Neville advice last year about his first time with Luna."  
  
Ginny gaped at Hermione before smiling slowly and laughing.  
  
"I bet that was interesting."  
  
The two of them each had a flashing mental image of Neville and Luna and exchanged glances before collapsing into fits of giggles.  
  
The four boys wandered over and dropped into seats around them watching them laughing curiously.  
  
"What's so funny?"  
  
Ron asked, draping an arm over the back of Hermione's seat behind her head.  
  
"We were talking about Hermione advising Neville on sex with Luna."  
  
Ginny said promptly, making Fred and George burst into hysterics and Harry look suddenly ill as images flashed before his eyes and he snapped them shut trying to avoid them. Ron turned a faint shade of green and swallowed nervously, obviously remembering Neville and Luna from Hogwarts.  
  
"Is that all you were talking about?"  
  
Fred asked, trying to change the subject before his youngest brother threw up on his floor.  
  
"No, Hermione was just saying how she never had to correct Ron in bed."  
  
Ginny chirped, causing Hermione to slap her on the arm, Fred and George to fall off the arms of the couch this time in fits of laughter and Harry shoot a nervous glance at a beet-red Ron while trying to contain his own laughter.  
  
"I always thought Hermione would dominate in bed."  
  
George finally said, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes and climbing back onto the arm of the couch next to Ron.  
  
"Do you mind? That's my fiancée."  
  
Ron snarled, his grip tightening on the back of the couch as Hermione flushed looking not unpleased.  
  
"Who did you lose it to then?"  
  
Ginny asked, taking pity on Ron and Hermione and turning the attention to the twins.  
  
"Angelina after the Yule Ball in fifth year. We would have gotten together then but she wanted to concentrate on her career."  
  
Fred replied promptly, waving a hand at Angelina as she flashed a dazzling smile at the last customer. Ginny studied her for a moment, wondering how Fred had managed to talk her into working in his shop during the summer holidays since she was had rejoined Hogwarts as a Professor upon leaving the school.  
  
"What about you, George?"  
  
Ron butted in, suddenly very interested in the new topic. The twins didn't exactly hide their love lives but Ron had never heard who they had first lost it to.  
  
"Katie Bell."  
  
As one they all turned to look at him and he shrugged, not in the least bit embarrassed.  
  
"Go on then Harry."  
  
Fred interjected, taking the focus off his twin.  
  
"What?"  
  
Harry replied innocently, though Ginny could see the heat building up in his cheeks.  
  
"Well we know ickle Ronnikins lost it to Hermione, what 'bout you?"  
  
Harry was steadily turning a dark shade of purple and Ginny fought hard to keep her face straight.  
  
"Easier question; when did you lose it?"  
  
George asked, grinning. Ron shot Harry a look and Hermione looked down at the floor, they knew of course as he had admitted it to them after serious badgering and a final painful embarrassment when it had become clear three days after it had happened.  
  
"Sixth year."  
  
He mumbled, not looking at anyone but down at his hands, clamped on his knees so hard his knuckles were white. It wasn't a painful thing to talk about as it had all ended quite easily and they had stayed friends, it was just embarrassing.  
  
"Go on? Who?"  
  
Angelina pressed from her seat on Fred's knee, making Ginny jump as she hadn't heard her join them.  
  
"Cho Chang."  
  
Harry whispered to his knees, turning a stop-sign red colour when Fred and George whooped.  
  
"Not bad choice, Harry."  
  
Fred grinned, wincing as he received a sharp jab in the ribs by Angelina's elbow and a warning look. Harry felt a grin heat up his face and he shrugged modestly, chancing a look up to see them all staring at him.  
  
"What about you Ginny?"  
  
Angelina asked, earning a reproving look from the three Weasley brothers and a startled look from Ginny. She weighed the facts in her head and decided to tell them, Hermione would tell Ron anyway and he would have it roaring around the family by the end of the week.  
  
"Parker."  
  
She muttered, not looking at Hermione who was giving her a shrewd look.  
  
"What? When... how did this... what did he...?"  
  
Ron spluttered, spraying the mouthful of water he was drinking down his front.  
  
"I don't think we need details, Ron."  
  
Hermione said sharply, smiling at a grateful Ginny. Looking at her watch Ginny saw she was late for meeting Draco and she leapt up, kissed everyone on the cheek, and received several bone-crushing enraged hugs off Ron and a strangely tender one from Harry. Not that he wasn't usually tender it was just that there seemed to more affection in this one than usual and he shot her an understanding look as she left the store.  
  
"You're late."  
  
Draco grinned when she finally dashed into Madam Puddifoot's gasping for breath.  
  
"I just wanted to see if you'd wait."  
  
She replied smoothly, looking up at him from under sooty lashes and giving him a sexy smirk that made his heart drop to meet his leaping stomach.  
  
"And what do I get for waiting?"  
  
He asked, raising an eyebrow when she made no attempt to sit down at the empty seat opposite him.  
  
"You get to pay the bill."  
  
She replied brightly, watching him toss a few coins onto the table before standing up.  
  
"Now what?"  
  
Ginny's mouth and throat were dry and she swallowed nervously, she did want to do this so very much but he had so much more experience than her. Realising she must have been stood staring she smiled and took his hand, pulling him towards the door.  
  
"Use your imagination."  
  
She was about to lean up and kiss him when she realised where they were and she glanced around.  
  
"What?"  
  
Draco asked somewhat impatiently at her pulling away.  
  
"If my family see us together I'm anticipating consequences, say an angry mob?"  
  
She replied dryly, watching as he looked around nervously before Apparating back to Sparrow House a split second after her.  
  
Seeing her sitting on the couch smiling up at him seductively he caught on to what she had meant and he watched her incredulously. Her eyes never left his as she stood up and advanced on him, her lips locking onto his tentatively and he melted into the kiss.  
  
Ginny was shocked at the tenderness in his kiss, normal his kisses were hard and bruising making her faint with desire but this was even more sensual. She made no attempt to stop him as his hands moved expertly over her back to start on the eyes and hooks holding her top together. She moved her hands shakily down his chest, pulling his black t-shirt out of his jeans and over his head, giggling when he got caught in it. He tossed his shirt onto the abandoned couch and grinned down at her, his hair ruffled and his pale chest gleaming in the firelight.  
  
He bent to kiss her and pulled her into his arms, his left arm around her back and his right arm sneaking down to capture the back of her legs, pulling her up. His lips didn't leave hers as he carried her up the stairs slowly, gently dropping her on his bed. His hands creeping back around her to undo her top. It fell to the floor silently and she stared back at him shyly as his eyes took in her naked chest.  
  
Licking his lips he nibbled on her ear before moving down her jaw line, along her neck and down her chest, her hands twisting strands of his hair in her pale fingers as she moaned softly. His surprisingly warm hands moved gently down her ribs with a feather light touch, slowly pulling off her skirt until she was clad only in her white thong.  
  
He stared at her hungrily, his heart pounding faster than ever before. He was actually amazed how much he wanted her; it was like an insatiable desire burning in him permanently.  
  
He moved back onto the bed and took her in his arms, his fingertips running over her entire body, memorising every curve of her creamy skin, finding all sorts of sensitive places he stored in the back of his mind for later. She reached for his belt with trembling hands and he helped her tug open his belt, quickly wriggling out of his black jeans and tossing them on the floor. She raised an eyebrow when she saw his boxers, black silk with green frogs mounting each other, being wizards boxers the frogs winked continuously up at her.  
  
He laughed sheepishly and pulled them off before advancing on her again, slowly sliding her thong down her smooth legs, dropping it onto the floor and running his hand over her smooth flat stomach, watching as goose bumps sprang up where he touched. Her eyes were fluttering closed and her breath was coming in little gasps.  
  
He moved up the bed until his lips found hers again and she pulled him on top of her, grinding her body into his. Draco had to keep reminding himself of her inexperience as the fire in his stomach shot to every inch of his body at the feel of her skin against his.  
  
His hand crept down her body to the join between her legs and she groaned into his mouth, shuddering as wave after wave of pleasure swept over her, her excitement ignited his and his kisses grew stronger and more forceful. He gently positioned himself between her legs, raising his head to look at her.  
  
She gazed up at him with huge dark, desire-drugged eyes, a slight smile playing over her lips as he ran his thumb over her lower lip. Slowly and gently he eased inside her, catching her gasp in his mouth as his lips covered hers once more. Ginny sighed and let him take over; smiling in wonder at how much better it was this time.  
  
Much later when darkness was filtering into the room from the open window she sighed contentedly and let her head fall back onto the pillow. The sheets were wringing with sweat and their bodies were sliding against each other through their coating of hot sweat. Draco gave a final loud moan and dropped his head onto her heaving chest, closing his eyes in ecstasy as their laboured breathing slowly returned to normal.  
  
He gently eased his weight off her and curled up against her, her head in the hollow between his jaw and shoulder, his head resting contentedly on hers, their arms wrapped around each other and their legs entwined. She sighed when he gently stroked her shoulders, making little circles with his fingertips and she closed her eyes.  
  
He lay for what seemed forever, cradling her to him as she slept, refusing to yield to his own exhaustion so he could stay in this blissful bubble for as long as possible. Looking down he saw her flaming red hair spread out across the pillow, dark with sweat but still beautiful and he leaned down; gently placing a kiss on her moist forehead.  
  
"I love you."  
  
He breathed softly, kissing her closed eyelids, her snub freckled nose and finally her luscious pink lips, half smiling as a result of a dream. He finally let his eyes drift closed and sleep overtake him.  
  
When she heard his deep steady breathing Ginny slowly opened her eyes, staring up at him sleeping peacefully besides her. The moonlight flowed over them both, highlighting his white-blond hair and angelic face and she sighed quietly.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
She whispered, not quite sure why she had waited until he was asleep to tell him, but positive she was speaking from her heart. She snuggled her head back under his chin, dropping an affectionate kiss on his jaw which was all she could reach before edging the sheets over them and drifting back to sleep. 


	9. Meet The Parents

A/N: As always I don't own any of the characters besides Tab  
  
O.K so the end of this chapter was kind of emotional to write but it was still quite fun!  
  
Thanks once again to everyone who reviews you guys are the best mwuah  
  
This is the second chapter in one day I've put up and since I have nothing to do but avoid an annoying family, I'm off to begin the next one, R&R please ppl, I beg of u! enjoy =) cheers babes xx  
  
The lyrics at the beginning are from 'Bring It All to Me' by Blaque  
  
Chapter Nine – Meet The Parents  
  
There's not a single question  
  
That we can't make this right  
  
Cause it's you I need every day and night  
  
"Malfoy?!"  
  
Hermione gasped, staring at Ginny as though she was insane.  
  
"Of all people Ginny?"  
  
She sighed, jumping to her feet and pacing backwards and forwards in front of the couch.  
  
"Please Hermione; I need you on my side for when I tell Ron."  
  
Ginny pleaded, grabbing Hermione's hand as she passed and pulling her back down onto the couch besides her.  
  
"How are you going to tell him?"  
  
Hermione asked, glancing at Fred and George who were still staring at Ginny.  
  
"Mom's going to tell him."  
  
Hermione raised a sceptical eyebrow at Ginny who shrugged defensively.  
  
"I've already told everyone else in the family besides Harry and Ron because they're still at training."  
  
Bill coughed from his position leaning against the fireplace and they all turned to look at him.  
  
"How bad is Ron going to be? I mean ... never mind."  
  
He trailed off at the looks on everyone's faces. Fred and George sighed, looking at each other over Angelina's head.  
  
"He won't hurt Ginny but I think you might be in some serious danger."  
  
Fred said, looking over at Draco who was sat next to Ginny on the couch, for once not saying anything.  
  
"Well, there's nothing we can do until Ron gets back so I say we eat."  
  
Charlie said from where he was sprawled on the floor before the fireplace. Everyone immediately leapt into action, leaving the room to help set the table and cook. Ginny turned to look at Draco when they were the only ones left in the room and he expelled the breath he hadn't known he was holding.  
  
"Fred was right, the first thing Ron's going to do is accuse you of putting me under a spell and then he'll try to kill you."  
  
Draco shrugged, looking a lot calmer than he felt.  
  
"It'll be alright."  
  
He said, lifting Ginny's hand to his lips and gently kissing her knuckles. The front door banged open and Ron and Harry spilled into the hallway laughing and joking, fresh from practise.  
  
"You better go hide upstairs."  
  
Ginny warned Draco in an urgent whisper as the two boys entered the kitchen and the faint rumbling of voices told them that Mrs Weasley's was telling them. Ginny clutched Draco's hand and dragged him up the spiralling the stairs, shoving him protesting into her room.  
  
"YOU WHAT?!"  
  
The explosion from downstairs told her that Ron knew and she dashed to the balcony to watch Ron racing out of the kitchen and thundering around the house looking for him. Glancing up he saw Ginny dangling over the edge of the balcony and he marched up the stairs.  
  
"Ron! Please calm down!"  
  
Hermione followed him out of the kitchen, the rest of the Weasley's close on her heels.  
  
"Where the fuck is he?"  
  
Ron snarled at Ginny, shrugging Harry's restraining hand off his shoulder.  
  
"I'm not telling you."  
  
Ginny replied stubbornly. Ron narrowed his eyes and spun on his heel, banging open Draco's door and from the sounds issuing from it, tearing the room apart. Ginny pulled open her door and dashed inside.  
  
"Quick! When he comes out of your room run through the adjoining door into it and then down the stairs so I can calm him down."  
  
Ginny hissed, pointing at the door half hidden by a white curtain next to her bathroom.  
  
"Hey, I didn't know we had adjoining doors."  
  
Draco said with a wicked grin lighting up his face.  
  
"Draco!"  
  
She growled, shoving him towards the door. When she heard Ron banging down the hallway towards them she quickly opened the door and shoved him through.  
  
"WHERE IS HE?"  
  
Ron bellowed, resisting all Hermione's attempts at calming him down.  
  
"Obviously he isn't here."  
  
Ginny replied, looking perfectly calm as though her brother turned into a raving lunatic all the time, but the angry fire in her eyes was already making Harry nervous.  
  
Ron turned around and marched into Tab's room, finding nothing he retreated back down the stairs and into the kitchen, Ginny racing after him. Draco was standing behind the breakfast bar with Mrs Weasley stood between him and the door.  
  
"Don't you hide from me you little ferret!"  
  
Ron roared making Bill and Charlie wince from their seats at the dining table. They stood up and poked their head through the archway to get a better view.  
  
"Calming him down, huh?"  
  
He muttered, raising an eyebrow at Ginny who shot him a dirty look.  
  
"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE TO MY LITTLE SISTER?"  
  
Ron made a dive at Draco but Harry, Fred and George grabbed the back of his robes just in time, holding him back.  
  
"GET OFF ME I'LL KILL HIM!"  
  
Ron howled, struggling desperately to get at Draco who was looking very amused for someone only just being protected from an overprotective older brother.  
  
"Look, we don't like it any more then you do, but Ginny loves him."  
  
Hermione pleaded, tears filling her eyes as Bill and Charlie physically lifted Ron into a seat besides his mother.  
  
"You love me?"  
  
Draco asked Ginny, his eyes widening as she nodded shyly. The whole room fell silent as she crossed the floor to get to him, turning so her back was pressed against him. His hands rested on her stomach and she coiled her fingers into his.  
  
"Right, I know you don't like him but its tough shit really."  
  
She blushed as her mother shot her a reproachful look but she bravely ploughed on, Draco's warm body against her giving her strength.  
  
"I love him, and I don't know how it happened but it did, so GET OVER IT."  
  
She hissed as Ron began struggling once more. She eyed him nervously when he collapsed back into the chair, his head in his hands.  
  
"Ron?"  
  
She said gently, kneeling down in front of him and pulling his hands into hers.  
  
"I can't help what happened any more than you can, so please, just give him a chance. We're not in Hogwarts any more, we're adults, I mean look at you and Hermione; you're engaged with a baby on the way. We're hardly still the same naïve teenagers we were to start off with any more."  
  
Hermione moved over to stand next to Ron and he pressed his head against her stomach, her hand running through his hair lightly. Harry moved forward and put a hand on Ginny's shoulder.  
  
"Come on Ron, none of us are happy about it but its Ginny we should be thinking of. She's right; she's old enough to make her own decisions."  
  
Everyone stared anxiously at Ron until he glared up at Draco who had wandered over and was now standing next to Ginny with her hand in his, the tender look on his face making Ron's eyes soften slightly.  
  
"Fine."  
  
The room cheered as Ginny flung her arms around her brother, kissing him on the cheek before jumping on Draco.  
  
"But I'm warning you Mal... Draco; if you hurt her I will make sure you beg for death before long."  
  
Ron warned, standing up so he was half a head taller than Draco who stared back at him.  
  
"I'm not going to hurt her Weasley, erm... Ron."  
  
Draco hastily replied after a nudge in the ribs from Ginny at saying the wrong name.  
  
"Well the warning goes for all us brothers too."  
  
Fred butted in, waving an arm around to indicate the room.  
  
"And me."  
  
Harry chipped in, nodding at Draco who rolled his eyes.  
  
"Of course you, Harry. You were already mentioned."  
  
Harry raised an eyebrow at George who pointed at Fred.  
  
"You're as much of a brother to Ginny as any of my sons; it just took us longer to find you, dear."  
  
Mrs Weasley interjected kindly, making Harry blush and the Weasley's beam at him.  
  
"Yeah, you can have Percy's place."  
  
George said cheerfully, ignoring the look his mother sent him.  
  
"Wait a minute that means you're older than us!"  
  
Fred argued, thumping Harry on the shoulder.  
  
"Tell you what, we'll compromise. We'll move up one and you can take our place."  
  
Bill, Charlie, Draco, Ginny, Hermione and Ron had been watching them all in amusement but at this sentence Ron broke in angrily;  
  
"Now wait one damn second! That means he's older than me!"  
  
He moaned, shooting his twin brother's dirty looks.  
  
"Well as you like being the youngest we thought we'd leave it that way so we don't confuse you."  
  
Fred replied, grinning evilly at Ron who flushed.  
  
"Bloody brothers..."  
  
His mutterings filled the silent room for about a minute until Ginny broke away from Draco's lips and arms where she had been locked since Ron had agreed not to murder Draco for the time being.  
  
"I don't know what you're complaining about you bloody great... prune."  
  
She finished when Mrs Weasley's gave her yet another sharp look about her language from behind the oven where she was using her wand to control four steaming pans and three knives chopping up different vegetables.  
  
"What?"  
  
Ron asked, startled as he turned to look at his sister.  
  
"You're not even the youngest! I am."  
  
Ginny replied triumphantly, raising an eyebrow when Ron continued his mutterings but this time including cheeky sisters in the mix.  
  
"Does he do that in bed, Hermione?"  
  
George asked loudly, making Bill and Charlie, who had dug some Butterbeers out of the fridge and had been about to swallow their mouthfuls, snort into their bottles and spray it all over their chins. Draco buried his face in Ginny's shoulder but couldn't disguise the fact his shoulders were shaking with laughter and Ron glared around the room, his face now resembling a ripe tomato.  
  
"George."  
  
Mrs Weasley reproved, adding the chopped vegetables into a pan and waving her wand at the knives and chopping boards which soared over their heads into the sink. Mrs Weasley didn't approve of dishwashers; she didn't trust any muggle invention unless it was proved to be useful and not just a way out of doing things.  
  
"I meant in his sleep of course."  
  
George replied innocently, winking at Hermione who shot him a dirty look, her hand sneaking into her fiancé's to squeeze it comfortingly.  
  
"You know what, I never thought I'd say this but I actually do like your family a lot."  
  
Draco whispered into Ginny's ear as they all wandered into the dining room carrying their various bottles and glasses. She beamed up at him and stared around the table at her family proudly.  
  
"But don't tell anyone I said that, I have a reputation to keep."  
  
He murmured, his hand creeping up her thigh and under the skirt of her midnight-blue mini-dress under the table. She swallowed hard as his fingers went even higher and Charlie looked at her curiously as he handed her a bowl of peas to pass round.  
  
"Alright, Gin?"  
  
He asked and she nodded, making a faint squeaking nose and grabbing Draco's hand from under the table, bring it back into his lap and giving him a stern look.  
  
"Afternoon."  
  
Mr Weasley Apparated into the living room and wandered into the dining room shortly followed by Angelina. He stopped dead when he saw Draco sat with his family, chattering away to Ginny.  
  
"This is Ginny's new boyfriend, Arthur. Draco Malfoy."  
  
Mrs Weasley said quickly, kissing her husband and handing him a plate.  
  
"Hello Angelina, how was flying."  
  
Angelina shrugged and yawned, collapsing into a seat next to Fred and piling some food onto her plate.  
  
"Better than it has been lately thanks, Molly. I was thinking about the new Griffindor team and I think we've got just the right mix this year to pull it off."  
  
She beamed at Mrs Weasley, her hand disappearing under the table and reappearing with Fred's trapped in her grip. Fred glanced up at Draco and they grinned knowingly at each other.  
  
"Are you sure we have to do this?"  
  
Ginny whined, digging her heels into the gravely drive as Draco tugged her up the sloping drive, her hands clasped in his.  
  
"Yes!"  
  
Draco grunted, giving up pulling her and circling around to pick her up and carry her to Malfoy Manor. Outside the huge black wooden doors decorated with mean looking metal studs he put a hand on the centre of the door, just beneath a large wrought iron door-knocker shaped as a serpents snarling head. The snake head's eyes flickered open and Draco stared directly into them for a few seconds until the door swung open.  
  
"My son?"  
  
Ginny raised her eyes to see the figure that had haunted her nightmares for years, the tall, lean body, the long white-blond hair and the cruel calculating eyes taking her in before narrowing with disgust as he surveyed them from the top of the wide marble stairs.  
  
"Why have you brought a Weasley to my home?"  
  
Lucius Malfoy sneered, nodding his head in Ginny's direction and she glared at him, fear prickling up her spine despite Draco's hand gripping hers tightly.  
  
"I've come to introduce you to my girlfriend."  
  
Draco emphasised the last two words and Lucius's eyes widened in shock, he slowly descended the stairs, his long black cloak billowing out behind him.  
  
"Have you lost your mind boy?!"  
  
He growled, grabbing Draco's arm and shaking him with such force that Ginny was shaken too.  
  
"Not at all, Father."  
  
Draco replied coolly, yanking his arm out of his father's iron grip, his face impassive but Ginny could feel his hold tighten unbearably on her hand and she fought against the urge to wince.  
  
"Very well, you've introduced me to her."  
  
Lucius spat, sneering as he glanced at Ginny. She glared right back, images of the Chamber flashing before her eyes and Tom Riddle's voice in her head.  
  
"Where's Mother?"  
  
Draco asked, noticing the look in Ginny's eyes and pulling her closer to him.  
  
"In her study."  
  
His father replied curtly before spinning on his heel and stalking into a room to the left, slamming the door behind him. Draco led Ginny down endless dark panelled corridors and winding passages until they paused outside a black forbidding door.  
  
"Is this it?"  
  
Ginny asked when Draco stared blankly at the door, he nodded slowly and knocked.  
  
"She's probably busy drinking herself into a coma."  
  
He said bitterly when no one answered his knock. He pushed open the door and walked in, tugging Ginny along with him.  
  
"Mother."  
  
He said, nodding at the poker straight back of a tall, regal woman clad in expensive black robes, intricately embroidered with silver thread making all sorts of beautiful designs. Her long hair was twisted up in an elegant twist at the back of her head, exposing her long pale neck and white shoulders.  
  
"Draco."  
  
She replied, turning around slightly. Ginny could see the glass tumbler in her hand half filled with a clear liquid that looked like vodka and only a few cubes of ice. The woman's cool, appraising eyes were squinting slightly and there was an unnatural flush in her cheeks that told Ginny she was very clearly drunk. She swayed slightly as she took a step towards them, her eyes trying to focus on Ginny.  
  
"Whoossis?"  
  
She slurred, bringing the glass to her lips and taking a huge gulp.  
  
"This is my new girlfriend; Ginerva Weasley."  
  
Draco informed her, watching her nervously; he never knew what she might do or say anymore, not since her drinking habit had gotten so much worse. It was ten o'clock in the morning and the woman was drunk already.  
  
"Girrend?"  
  
She repeated, giving up trying to walk towards them and slumping into the big oak chair behind her desk.  
  
"Yes, Mother. We have to go into Diagon Alley so we'll be leaving now."  
  
Draco was talking loudly and clearly, his eyes never leaving his mother's face. Ginny felt a sudden pinprick of pity for the woman standing before her, to have to live with such a man must be awful, no wonder it had driven her to drink.  
  
"Let's go."  
  
Draco said, turning and pulling Ginny out of the room and back down to the hallway they were first in.  
  
"You're leaving then?"  
  
Lucius's cold voice rang out through the cavernous room and Draco turned to face him.  
  
"Yes."  
  
He said stiffly, waiting for his father to say something to hurt Ginny, he wasn't disappointed.  
  
"It won't last you know, and you'll come crawling back to us in the end."  
  
Draco let out a loud mirthless laugh and shook his head, letting go of Ginny's hand.  
  
"I'll never come back, not the way you want me to. This isn't my home anymore."  
  
He replied, ushering Ginny towards the door.  
  
"Your whore can't save you any more than you could have saved your mother."  
  
Ginny felt the temperature in the room plummet to a coldness along the lines a Dementor brings and she turned around to see Draco striding over to his father.  
  
"You destroyed my mother."  
  
He hissed, his face expressionless but his eyes giving away the blind anger as they tossed silver sparks out of their depths.  
  
"Don't you ever call Ginny a whore again."  
  
Ginny was about to call out to Draco to tell him it didn't matter to her what his father thought of her when he swung his fist upwards into his father's face, sending him sprawling against the wall. He glared up at his son with blood pouring from the gash across his left eyebrow and dripping down from his mouth where he had bitten his lip on impact.  
  
Ginny screamed when Lucius pulled out his wand but Draco kicked it out of his hand and stalked out of the house, catching Ginny's hand in his as he passed her and dragging her out of the house.  
  
He finally stopped for breath about a mile away from the Manor, collapsing under an old oak tree at the top of a grassy hill, dropping his head into his hands. Ginny knelt down before him and gently eased his hands away from his face in time to see a single tear roll down his pale cheek.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
She said softly, his metallic grey eyes glistening with unshed tears meeting her concerned brown ones.  
  
"What for?"  
  
He asked, letting her cradle his hands in her lap.  
  
"If you hadn't taken me there, none of that would have happened."  
  
He snorted and stared bitterly down at his fast bruising hand, a trickle of blood running from his knuckle to his fingernail.  
  
"Yes it would, like I said before, my father destroyed my mother. His constant use of dark magic made him power crazed and he beat us both if things went bad. Eventually my mother turned to drink and she hasn't stopped since."  
  
Ginny didn't say anything; she let him continue in his own time, her fingertip gently stroking his palm.  
  
"And he was right; I should have taken my mother away from him years ago. If I'd gotten her away from him maybe she'd still have some hope in her life, other than her next drink."  
  
He ripped some blades of grass out of the ground and tossed them savagely into the wind so they whipped down the hill.  
  
"Draco, Draco look at me."  
  
Ginny said urgently, gazing at him with such tenderness on her face he nearly broke down in tears again.  
  
"There's no way you could have saved your mother from him. She didn't want to be saved, trust me; there was nothing you could have done."  
  
He stared at her in silence for a long time before capturing her lips with his.  
  
"Come on, we're going to be late."  
  
She said, pulling him grumbling to his feet and Apparating with a loud crack into Fred and George's store. Draco stared at the space she had been standing in for a few moments before turning to look at the imposing hulk of Malfoy Manor perched at the top of a hill and sighing. His hand gently ran over the bump the necklace Ginny gave him underneath his top made and he turned his back on the Manor before Apparating to the shop. 


	10. Roses

A/N: Again I own none of these characters besides Tab and Cliff  
  
The lyrics are from 'There You'll Be' by Faith Hill  
  
This chapter aint very long but once again its necessary for the story line. Well spotted slytherinchick4, the rose comes into this chapter and is a big part of it actually.  
  
Keep reviewing please peeps, it helps! thanx to all who have already reviewed! Enjoy =) cheers babes xx  
  
Chapter Ten – Roses  
  
There'll always be a place  
  
For you for all my life  
  
I'll keep a part  
  
Of you with me  
  
And everywhere I am  
  
There you'll be  
  
"Yoo hoo? Anybody home?"  
  
Tab yelled up the stairs, grinning at Cliff as he dropped their bags onto the drawing room floor. She winked at Cliff and darted up the stairs, Cliff right on her heels. She pushed open Draco's bedroom door and the pair of them pushed their heads around the door, grinning when they saw their separate best friends wrapped around each other sleeping peacefully.  
  
"I told you that weekend away was a good idea."  
  
Tab said loudly to Cliff, jerking the two on the bed awake.  
  
"Aaah!"  
  
Ginny cried, rolling off the edge of the bed and landing with a thump on the floor, taking most of the sheets with her. Draco groaned and sat up slowly, still coming back to earth after the night before.  
  
"Oh, hi guys."  
  
He said yawning and stretching, before leaning over and pulling Ginny back into bed.  
  
"Draco, get off."  
  
She giggled when he tried to drag her back under the quilts and wriggled out of bed, wrapping the sheets around her.  
  
"When did you guys get back?"  
  
She asked, hugging Tab and heading out of the room towards her own.  
  
"Just now. So tell all, what's going on?"  
  
Tab asked eagerly, dropping onto Ginny's bed and listening to her replies over the thunder of the shower.  
  
"What do you think?"  
  
Ginny giggled, wandering out of the bathroom in a matching pair of light blue hot pants and t-shirt pyjama set, gently rubbing her still wet hair with a towel.  
  
"I know it!"  
  
Tab shrieked, going into fits of laughter and falling backwards onto the bed.  
  
"Come on, let's go down and get some food, Cliff and I haven't eaten since this morning and we're starving."  
  
Ginny snorted and shook her head, tossing the wet towel at Tab, catching her in the face and ducking as a pillow was thrown back in retaliation.  
  
"In other words, Ginny can you cook us something?"  
  
She laughed, raising an eyebrow as Tab grinned boldly back at her.  
  
"Pretty much, yeah."  
  
Ginny laughed and led the way downstairs, kissing Cliff on the cheek on the way to the cooker. She pulled a wok out from the cupboard next to the cooker and she chucked in some oil before lighting the cooker with her wand and waiting for it to heat up.  
  
"Damn it!"  
  
She cursed, after dropping some vegetables into the wok they had splashed boiling oil all over her top.  
  
"Bet that stings."  
  
A voice whispered in her ear, and she smiled when she felt Draco wrap his arms around her waist from behind, his lips kissing their way up her neck as he nudged her hair out of the way.  
  
"Yeah, I better go get changed."  
  
She replied, not moving.  
  
"Go on, I'll look after the pan while you're gone."  
  
They both turned to look at a grinning Cliff and Ginny glanced at Draco who had his eyebrow raised before replying.  
  
"Cliff it's a wok not a pan."  
  
Tab snorted into her coffee and he shot her a dirty look while Ginny and Draco hid their own smiles.  
  
"So? No difference is there?"  
  
He said cheerfully, wandering over to the cooker and giving the vegetables a poke with a spatula.  
  
"Be right back."  
  
Ginny called to the room, reluctantly breaking out of Draco's embrace and heading for the stairs. Wandering into her room she didn't bother to look around her room, just headed straight for her chest of drawers and began rummaging through. Hearing a noise behind her she spun around, her hand flying to her pocket for her wand but it wasn't there. She scanned the room nervously before remembering it was downstairs by the cooker.  
  
She took a step into the middle of the room, her eyes roving the darkness and she cursed herself for not turning the lights on when she first came in. She took another step and gasped as an ice cold hand clamped over her mouth and another grabbed her waist.  
  
"Miss Weasley."  
  
A cold voice rasped in her ear, making her tremble all over. She felt the cold clammy feel of his skin chill her through her flimsy clothes and she suddenly realised how vulnerable she was. Her eyes widened and her heart beat sped up as he began to drag her backwards towards where she knew her window was.  
  
"Ginny's taking forever."  
  
Cliff grumbled, poking the now burnt vegetables with his finger and grimacing.  
  
"I wonder if something's happened to her. I did get a creepy feeling when I was in her room before."  
  
Tab said nervously, looking over her shoulder and shivering.  
  
"Don't be stupid."  
  
Draco said, more to convince himself than her that it wasn't possible. Cliff and Tab both looked over at Draco and Tab suddenly realised he didn't know.  
  
"I forgot you didn't know, I'm half Seer, my mother is a pure Seer and I have visions. Well actually it's more like I get an odd feeling if something's about to happen and I see things in my sleep sometimes."  
  
Tab said, shifting uncomfortably under his speculative gaze, his mind was on Professor Trelawney and the vision Ginny had told him about that she had when Harry was with her in third year.  
  
"And anyway, if something did happen she's got protection..."  
  
Cliff trailed off when Draco suddenly bolted for the stairs. Tab looked at him before they both turned to look at Ginny's wand lying innocently by the cooker.  
  
"Ginny!"  
  
Draco bellowed, racing into her room to find it empty, the long white curtains billowing into the room like hands. Tab and Cliff collided into him when they dashed inside, their eyes taking in the emptiness of the room.  
  
"No."  
  
Tab whispered, her eyes filling with tears as she slumped down on the floor, Cliff taking her in his arms as he watched Draco's face drain of colour.  
  
Ginny awoke to a blinding headache and pain in every part of her body. She groaned as she sat up, lifting a hand to her head and wincing as she pulled it back stained with blood. Her hair was matted with blood and water and her clothes were ripped and covered in dirt. Looking down she saw her hands were bound together and she was sat on a damp stone floor.  
  
Surveying her surroundings she grimaced as she noticed a couple of rats fighting in a corner. She was in a plain square, made of the same stone as the floor and there was a high arched window above her head on the way next to her. She used the wall to hold her up as her weak legs buckled beneath her. She limped over to the window and saw acres and acres of woods, followed by empty fields dotted here and there with a few cows or sheep.  
  
Beyond the fields was what looked like the sea and her heart sank; she was sure she wasn't in London any more and no one knew where she was. Glancing down she saw her bare legs and feet were covered in little scratches as though she had been dragged through bushes.  
  
"Ah, you're awake."  
  
The same cold voice she had heard in her bedroom filtered into the room through the heavy wooden door behind her. Spinning around she caught sight of a pale white face, completely black eyes and long coarse black hair staring at her through the iron bars that made the window.  
  
"Who are you and what am I doing here?"  
  
She demanded, terror giving way to anger at the man's daring, taking her away from her home in the middle of the night.  
  
"We'll have time for that later; right now I need a sample of your blood."  
  
Ginny blanched; she'd always hated needles and somehow she knew this man wouldn't exactly be gentle. He advanced on her and grabbed her arm, taking out a knife and slicing her arm. He held out a small green crystal tube and held it against the cut to allow a small trickle of the blood to fill it up.  
  
"That will do for now."  
  
He mumbled, putting a stopper in the tube and handing it to a waiting minion who bowed low and scurried out of the room with it.  
  
"You aren't going to kill me then?"  
  
Ginny asked hopefully, cradling her injured arm to her chest. She flinched as he leaned in close to her, his putrid breath making her wrinkle her nose in disgust.  
  
"No, not for the moment anyway."  
  
He flashed her a cruel crooked grin before sweeping from the room and slamming the door closed behind her, magically locking itself. Ginny whimpered and sank onto the floor, pulling her knees up to her chin and breaking down in despairing sobs.  
  
"How the HELL did this happen?"  
  
Ron raged, pacing backwards and forwards in front of the fire, his hands clasped behind his back.  
  
"We don't know, Ron. She went upstairs to get changed and she didn't come down for a while. So when we went looking for her we found her wand still in the kitchen and her bedroom empty."  
  
Tab said, sniffling and wiping her tears away with a tissue, her other hand grasping Cliff's firmly in her lap as Draco patted her absently on the knee. The entire Weasley family, with the exception of Percy of course, had been owled minutes after they had discovered Ginny missing and they were all now assembled in the drawing room of Sparrow House.  
  
Mrs Weasley was sobbing onto Mr Weasley's shoulder who was sat there looking shell shocked, his hand vaguely patting her heaving shoulder. The twins were sat on the other couch, Fred cradling a sniffling Angelina in his arms and George twisting his wand over and over in his fingers as he stared blankly at the floor. Bill was leaning against the fireplace staring into the fire and Charlie was slouched in an armchair, his hands clasped and his elbows resting on his knees as he leaned forward and stared at the rug. Hermione was in another arm chair crying silently, tears coursing down her cheeks as Harry patted her knee occasionally from his seat on the floor besides her.  
  
"Please stop doing that Ron."  
  
He sighed wearily, his eyes tired from the tears he had shed earlier when he had first found out in the privacy of his own room. Ron looked across at him blankly before dropping onto the arm of Hermione's chair and putting an arm around her shoulders, pulling her towards him. There was a loud crack and a group of people appeared in the hallway, one of them conjuring a set of chairs and an extra sofa to squeeze into the room for them to sit in.  
  
Dumbledore gave Mr and Mrs Weasley a weak smile before dropping into a seat and looking around at the family who were all staring at the newcomers. Hermione glanced up and stared at how ragged Professor Lupin was looking and she got to her feet and enveloped him in a hug before pulling him down into the chair next to her. Ron shook his hand over Hermione's head and Harry and Lupin embraced briefly, clapping their hands on each others shoulders.  
  
Tonks grinned at them slightly, her hair waist length, completely straight and raven-black this time and her eyes huge and pale green. She sank onto the floor next to Harry on the other side of Hermione and smiling at Charlie who she knew from her Hogwarts years.  
  
Moody clunked into the room after doing a thorough check on the house and dropped into a chair by the fair, his magical eyes swirling all around and Draco knew he was checking the outside of the house for intruders.  
  
Sirius stalked into the room casting a long shadow and Draco's eyes widened when he saw him. Looking around he realised no one else was surprised besides Cliff and he let it pass, watching as Sirius dropped onto the floor in front of Harry and gave a small grin. The two of them had become closer than ever after Sirius' trip through the Veil and that was where Harry was living now; number twelve Grimmauld Place.  
  
"I'm sorry to have to ask you to do this, Tabitha, but could you please tell us all once more what happened this evening here with Ginerva?"  
  
Dumbledore said gently, so all eyes turned to Tab who nodded slowly, tears filling her eyes again for fear for her friend.  
  
Draco glanced around the room as the story was once more relayed to the newcomers and he winced at the sadness on everyone's face. How could he have let this happen to this great family, how could he have let Ginny get taken? Tears filled his eyes and he lowered them quickly before anyone could see, his hands shaking as he brought his Butterbeer to his lips, merely for something to do with his hands then actually wanting any.  
  
Excusing himself quickly he left the room and crept quietly up the stairs, drawn to Ginny's room by the frail hope that she might be there and this all be a misunderstanding. But the room was empty and he sank onto the bed in despair, staring blindly around he suddenly noticed something he was sure wasn't supposed to be there. Crossing the room he knelt down by the window and plucked it up from the floor. It was a single red rose, crushed a little as though someone had stepped on it. Searching the floor he found a small black card with one word in silver imprinted on it;  
  
Soon  
  
It didn't look a like a love letter and Draco was getting some pretty bad vibes from it. He quickly ran down the stairs and presented it to Dumbledore, telling him exactly where he had found it.  
  
"And you say you got a bad feeling from it?"  
  
Dumbledore asked seriously, the rose now lying in the centre of the coffee table in the drawing room and the card besides it.  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
Dumbledore looked over at Tab who was staring at the rose with a curious look on her face.  
  
"Tabitha? Do you have an idea?"  
  
He said suddenly, startling her and making everyone turn to look at her.  
  
"I was just thinking, well I got a bad feeling in Ginny's room earlier and maybe..."  
  
She swallowed nervously, glancing up at Dumbledore who smiled at her encouragingly, seeming to know what she was getting at already.  
  
"Maybe if I channelled my thoughts into the rose like I was taught to in my last two years at Hogwarts. Then I might be able to get a sense of where Ginny might be or who took her."  
  
As one the room turned to look at Dumbledore who was watching her pensively.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this? If Mr Malfoy here who only has an eighth Seer blood in him can sense something it must be powerful Dark Magic at work."  
  
Tab gulped and Cliff turned white and gripped her hand tightly as she nodded.  
  
"Tab, come on? If something goes wrong..."  
  
George began trailing off, he had been about to say 'we don't want to lose you too' but felt it was better not to bring out what they were all trying to deny.  
  
"I want to George, I need to. For Ginny."  
  
Dumbledore sighed and everyone either looked at the rose on the table, at Dumbledore or at Tab.  
  
"Alright then, if you're sure lets get started."  
  
Dumbledore got to his feet and conjured up a heavy black book and a small bouncy mattress. He motioned for Tab to lie down and she did so without a sound, slowly closing her eyes as Dumbledore placed the rose on her chest, gently lifting her hands and crossing them, laying them over the rose.  
  
"It's very important that no one makes a sound. Now I need you all to take hold of each others hands, do not break the chain and I need you all to sit cross legged in a circle around Tabitha."  
  
The group silently formed a circle around her and dropped to the floor, sitting as Dumbledore had instructed and linking hands. Their eyes all fixed on Tab whose breathing was getting steadier as her Seer instincts took over.  
  
Dumbledore sat cross legged at Tab's head, the big black book open on his knees as he joined hands with Harry on one side and Draco on the other. The writing on the open pages glowed gold and he chanted the words, slowly and rhythmically.  
  
The room gasped when Tab's eyelids flickered wildly and her hands trembled slightly over the rose.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
Cliff demanded, only just preventing himself from breaking the link of hands.  
  
"It's starting."  
  
Draco looked sideways at Dumbledore as most of the room was doing the same.  
  
"So now what do we do?"  
  
He asked, trying desperately to keep his voice steady but he heard Ron wince anyway next to him as he gripped his hand so hard it was almost numb.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
He mumbled, glancing at him briefly.  
  
"It's alright."  
  
Ron replied looking up at him with a weak smile before turning his terrified gaze back to Dumbledore and Tab.  
  
"We wait."  
  
Dumbledore replied, resuming his chanting as the others stared avidly at Tab.  
  
"For what?"  
  
Bill asked, no one's eyes leaving Tab to hear the answer.  
  
"For Tabitha to come back and tell us what she's seen."  
  
Dumbledore replied, not shifting his gaze from Tab's face.  
  
"And if she doesn't?"  
  
George asked, speaking aloud what every person there was thinking as they watched Tab tremble slightly, her eyes flickering once again as Dumbledore continued his chanting for a few seconds before answering George.  
  
"Then all is lost." 


	11. The Vessel

A/N: As always the characters aren't mine except Tab and Cliff  
  
The lyrics are from 'When You Believe' by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston  
  
This chapter aint very long and is very boring I'm afraid but it's a crucial part of the story so had to be done.  
  
Keep reviewing people it helps! thanx to everyone who reviews, you rock! cheers babes xx =)  
  
Chapter Eleven – The Vessel  
  
There can be miracles, when you believe  
  
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill  
  
Who knows what miracle, you can achieve  
  
When you believe, somehow you will  
  
You will when you believe  
  
Tab slowly opened her eyes and sat up, looking around she instantly knew she wasn't at Sparrow House anymore. She got shakily to her feet and shivered, her eyes taking in the room she was in. It was a long oblong shaped stone room with a huge wooden table stretching from one end to the other and tattered banners hanging limply from the beams running across the ceiling.  
  
Taking a closer look at a banner that was waving in the slight breeze through a whole in the roof; she saw it was entirely black with a white handprint emblazoned across the centre. Moving further into the room she suddenly felt faint and as though someone had swept their hand over the room changing it, the walls were suddenly rebuilt properly with torches burning in brackets and there was a huge fire crackling merrily in the fireplace before her. The table was gone, replaced with a huge four-poster bed richly swathed in cream, white and gold sheets and pillows much like Ginny's bed at Sparrow House.  
  
Glancing down her eyes widened when she saw she was wearing a full length wedding gown, completely white with beads embroidered all over the bodice. The long sleeves were made of some kind of lace and fell well beyond her hands. Reaching up she found her hair was twisted up into a hairpiece and intricately woven with fresh flowers and gems. Hearing a noise by the door she watched as a tall man with long black hair entered and crossed the room towards her, his arms thrown wide.  
  
"My bride."  
  
He said smiling, kissing her hand and stroking her face.  
  
"Soon we shall be wed."  
  
Tab's eyes widened even further when her mouth opened of its own accord and a voice that did not belong to her issued from it.  
  
"My love, our wedding is no more than a formality for me. I was already yours many years ago; this is just to prove it to the world as it is necessary for the law to bind us together."  
  
The voice was cool, calm and noble, a voice you would expect to hear royalty. Lifting her hand again Tab felt the top of her head, jumping as her fingers brushed an elaborate tiara perched on top of her hair, a long cream veil attached to its base.  
  
"You look so beautiful; I have the envy of every nobleman in the court this day"  
  
He smiled once more at her and gently spun her around. She gasped when she saw her reflection in the huge mirror for the person looking back at her from the glass was not Tabitha Duncan. The person staring back had rich, fiery red hair piled on top of her head, pale freckled shoulders and cleavage rising out of the white dress, a cute button nose and huge almond shaped eyes she had only seen on one person in her life.  
  
Taking a step towards the mirror Tab reached out a hand and touched the glass gently, the person in the mirror did the same. She swallowed hard as she studied the face looking back at her; she had seen that face so often in her life that it was almost as familiar as her own.  
  
"Is something wrong, my love?"  
  
The man asked, placing a cold hand on the back of her neck and looking first at Tab then at the reflection.  
  
"Of course not."  
  
Tab replied, but things were wrong, things were very wrong for the person staring out of that mirror was not the person staring in. The person in that mirror was someone Tab loved very much, someone she would die for, but it was definitely not her. That person staring back was none other than Ginerva Weasley.  
  
"Then come, we have our ceremony to attend."  
  
The man let go of her and swept towards the door, his long black robes billowing out behind him.  
  
"Jocelyn?"  
  
The man paused at the door and turned to look at her curiously. Tab swiftly decided that the rose obviously hadn't shown her all she needed yet so she had no other choice but to go along with whatever was happening. She smiled up at him and he took that as an answer before leaving the room, pulling the huge door closed behind him.  
  
Tab waited a few moments before running to the door and opening it just enough to see out, checking no one was coming she quietly closed it and darted around the room, she had no idea what she was looking for but she continued looking anyway.  
  
Pulling open a large jewel encrusted jewellery box she searched through it and found a bundle of love letters in spidery black handwriting held together by a purple ribbon. They were all signed with a wax seal that consisted of two wands crossed and the name, William, was scrawled under each of the seals.  
  
Hearing a shuffling noise outside the window she stuffed the letters back into the box and spun around as the door was once more pushed open. But no one entered the room and when she searched the corridor outside she could see no one. She pulled the door closed and walked back into the centre of the room sighing. What was it she was meant to see? She couldn't leave this place until she found it and what had looked like fun at first was getting old real damn fast.  
  
Hearing what sounded like horses clattering across cobblestones and several screams she darted to the high arched window and gasped at what met her eyes. Hundreds of soldiers on huge war horses were barging around the courtyard below killing anyone in their way. The cobbles beneath them were splattered with blood and bodies were scattered all over the courtyard.  
  
"Jocelyn! You need to get of here right now!"  
  
The man dashed back into her room with his sword drawn and began physically dragging her out of the room and down several sets of staircases and twisting hallways.  
  
"What? Why?!"  
  
Tab cried, screaming as someone grabbed her from behind and pulled her away from the man.  
  
"William!"  
  
She shrieked as a hand clamped around her neck and hauled her backwards, her fingernails scrambling helplessly against his hand as her legs kicked out at him trying to get him off her. William ran after her, engaging in a vicious swordfight with her captor while she collapsed on the floor, huddled against the wall trying desperately to catch her breath. He fell face down on the floor before her, his sword clattering across the floor out of either of their reach. He struggled onto his hands and knees, freezing when he heard Tab's captor raise his sword above his neck. Tab screamed as the sword came down with a hissing sound, squeezing her eyes shut as something hot and wet sprayed across her face and chest. The last thing she heard were her own bloodcurdling screams ringing in her ears and footsteps pounding towards her before all became black and she slumped onto the cold damp floor.  
  
"Tab! Tab, it's alright stop screaming."  
  
Tab shot bolt upright, colliding with someone's chest and she clung onto them, tears streaking down her face. Several voices began clamouring around her but one voice spoke loudly above them all and they all fell silent. Her sobs finally ceased to occasional hiccupping as she sniffled.  
  
Dumbledore set up a piece of parchment and what looked to Harry like Rita Skeeter's Quick Quotes Quill, only this one was a vivid dark blue colour, and knelt before her, gently coaxing the story out of her, the room listening in silence as she relayed everything that had happened. She clutched Cliff to her, involuntarily rocking backwards and forwards, her eyes focused on the fire.  
  
"And you say you were in Ginny's body?"  
  
Mr Weasley asked, his hands gripping his knees so hard his knuckles had turned white.  
  
"I'm not sure; she looked exactly like Ginny but with some differences, like her freckles were more widely spread and in a different pattern and her eyes were green. Oh and her name was Jocelyn."  
  
Dumbledore's eyebrows emerged swiftly from behind his half-moon glasses and he exchanged a look with the group of Auror's that had accompanied him, Sirius's mouth dropped open but he quickly closed it when Harry shot him a quizzical look.  
  
"And this man's name?"  
  
Lupin pressed, Ron furrowed his brow as he noticed beads of sweat on his old Professor's forehead and upper lip.  
  
"William."  
  
Tab repeated, feeling completely exhausted now the horror of her adventure inside the rose had faded.  
  
"Tabitha, I need you to think clearly now. The writing on the letters what was it like?"  
  
Tabitha creased her brow and glanced around the room while her mind worked furiously to remember the fast fading facts.  
  
"It was thin and sprawling... just like that!"  
  
She cried, pointing at the card still lying on the table in the centre of the room, Dumbledore lifted the card with his fingertips and held it out before her.  
  
"Exactly like this?"  
  
Tab nodded, her eyes fixed on the card as though mesmerised.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
Another look was exchanged between the elder members of the group and Harry sighed impatiently.  
  
"It's just like being back at Hogwarts again! Are you going to tell us what all the looks are about or just pretend we're too young and foolish and... and..."  
  
He trailed off, his anger and frustration constricting his throat as he stared moodily into the fire brooding on all the times they had been left out of secret Order talks because of their age.  
  
"Harry, we have no intention of keeping you out of the loop, so to speak."  
  
Dumbledore replied with slight twinkle in his eyes. The room gave a gasp and jumped as one as two people appeared spinning in the fire place.  
  
"Minerva, Severus. Just in time."  
  
Dumbledore handed the piece of parchment from the table to Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape and they both read in silence for a few minutes, McGonagall's eyes zipping from one side of her glasses to the other until they were nearly a blur. Once they had been filled in the two Professors conjured their own chairs and joined the already cramped group around the fire, nodding at the room before turning to look at Dumbledore.  
  
"A few years ago a book came into my possession, a journal. And inside it was written the private thoughts and unfortunate events that went on in its owners last years of life."  
  
Dumbledore sighed, removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes for a few seconds before replacing his glasses and surveying the group once more.  
  
"The journal spoke of betrayal, murder and deceit that led its owner to take her own life."  
  
Tab spoke so softly that she had to repeat herself to the room;  
  
"Jocelyn."  
  
Dumbledore nodded, putting his fingertips together and watching her over them.  
  
"Unfortunately for her, her captors never told her that it wasn't William who died that day."  
  
Tab jerked her head up and stared at Dumbledore incredulously.  
  
"No it was her first captor that suffered the final blow."  
  
Draco broke out of his dark thoughts and put forth his own view, making Ron, who was still besides him, jump at the sudden noise.  
  
"So this William guy, he could still be alive?"  
  
Tab shook her head and Dumbledore let her speak before he let them know his suspicions.  
  
"I don't think so, from what I could see of the place I was in and the clothes they were wearing, it was a very long time ago."  
  
Dumbledore nodded his agreement before speaking again.  
  
"It was indeed, but once Jocelyn was lost, the diary passed on to William once more who wrote of events that followed."  
  
Not one person spoke as they waited for Dumbledore to take a sip of the tea he had just conjured for them all and continue with his story.  
  
"Once William learnt of his love's death he vowed to bring her back using whatever means necessary. He poured his soul into the darkest of spells so that he would live once more once Jocelyn was reincarnated in her true form."  
  
"Ginny."  
  
Hermione whispered, her hand clenched in Ron's as she bit her white lip to stop from crying again.  
  
Dumbledore nodded and the room lapsed into an uneasy silence before Bill asked what they were all thinking.  
  
"So what is it that he plans to do with Ginny?"  
  
Fred butted in now, adding his point of view noisily.  
  
"Yeah, I mean he might still be who he was thousands of years ago, but Ginny's Ginny, she's not this Jocelyn person he keeps banging on about."  
  
The room turned to look at Dumbledore but he was looking at Snape waiting for an explanation. Snape cleared his throat loudly, glaring around the room and nearly everyone there was reminded forcibly of hours locked in his dungeons for the daily torture that was Potions lessons.  
  
"There is a potion that can be brewed, though it takes many weeks and some of the rarest ingredients ever needed, that can bring a person's reincarnated soul from the grave and into the body of the chosen carrier, known as the Vessel."  
  
Angelina gulped and fought against the urge to raise her hand.  
  
"That sounds painful."  
  
Snape glanced at her briefly, as he had so often done to them all in his classes with the same look he always reserved for Griffindor's; blatant dislike.  
  
"Yes Miss Johnson, it is very painful as first the Vessel has to have their own soul removed."  
  
The Weasley's blanched as one at this but made no comment waiting for someone to speak.  
  
"And that's what he plans to do to Ginny?"  
  
Draco asked, his heart twisting painfully as he said it and he shuddered.  
  
"It certainly appears that way."  
  
McGonagall conceded, her eyes sombre behind her glasses as she patted Mrs Weasley awkwardly on the shoulder when she dissolved into noisy sobs once more.  
  
"I think, we should have a small break."  
  
Dumbledore said, rising to his feet and helping a still trembling Tab up.  
  
"I think you might need a change of clothes, Tabitha."  
  
Tab glanced down and gasped in horror, she had been so upset when she had first come out of the rose that she hadn't noticed she was still wearing the white wedding dress stained with blood and covered in dirt that she had been wearing inside. Her hand flew to her hair and she sighed in relief when it was still the same short vibrant pink that was her trademark. The room dispersed, several people racing to the toilet while others began pacing from room to room, deep in thought. Tab quickly showered and changed before heading back downstairs, wondering what Ginny was doing now.  
  
"You know, it's a shame your soul is going to have to die, I kind of like you; you're sassy."  
  
William said as he got to his feet from the floor, wiping the blood off his face where Ginny had scraped her long nails down his cheek. He advanced towards her again and she raised her fist threateningly, narrowing her eyes when he laughed at her. He grabbed her left wrist as she swung her fist at his face, grunting when she jabbed the knife he had brought in, concealed in his pocket, at his kidneys piercing the skin and releasing a torrent of blood over her arm.  
  
"You're good."  
  
He said, his voice thick with pleasure at her fighting back, just as Jocelyn would have done.  
  
She wrenched her hand out of his grip and spun around, kicking him backwards so he soared into the wall behind him, she stood over him, glowering down.  
  
"You have no idea."  
  
He grinned at her and lifted his shirt so she could see his skinny, once well-built chest and stomach. The wound she had given him had already healed, leaving nothing but a thin white line and a lot of blood on his clothes.  
  
"What the hell are you?"  
  
She cried, backing away from him and dropping the knife in shock.  
  
"I am life beyond death, love beyond hate. I am more than you could ever imagine."  
  
He had climbed to his feet while he was talking and he now clicked his fingers at the door, another of the crouching minion she had seen when she first arrived bustling in carrying a long white dress with beads all over the bodice and long lacy sleeves reaching well past the waist of the dress.  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
Ginny asked quietly, staring at the dress now lying on the thin mattress she had been given to sleep on.  
  
He watched her silently, seeing the anger flash in her eyes so like Jocelyn's but a rich earthy brown colour instead of her sharp moss green ones. She snorted and shook her head, swinging her hip to one side and folding her arms across her chest.  
  
"No fucking way. I have no idea who you are or what the hell you want and if you think I'm going to dress up for you; you have another thing fucking coming!"  
  
She snarled, tossing her head back so her fiery red hair caught the light drifting in with the early morning mist through the window besides her.  
  
"It wasn't a request."  
  
William growled, his voice dangerously calm and Ginny felt her anger melt into fear, there was something about those eyes; it was as though he was haunted. She knew he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted, that much she could tell in the few hours she'd been his captive.  
  
"I'll consider it."  
  
Ginny replied coolly, nodding her head at the dress, he seemed to accept this for the moment and he retrieved his fallen, bloodied knife before retreating out of the room. After Ginny had heard his footsteps fade away into the distance she collapsed onto the floor breaking into pitiful sobs.  
  
"The first thing we need to do is find out where the place you visited in your head is. It may very well be the same place Ginerva is being held."  
  
Dumbledore told the room, nodding at Tab when she was mentioned and summoning piles and piles of books which all opened at various maps.  
  
"Well..."  
  
Hermione began tentatively, eyeing the nearest book longingly. Ron and Harry exchanged an amused look; they recognised the gleam in her eye she had always had when researching for their adventures at Hogwarts.  
  
"Yes, Miss Granger?"  
  
McGonagall asked fondly, Hermione was one of her favourite students from all her years at Hogwarts, though she would never admit it as it was unprofessional.  
  
"Well, from Tab's description, the stone walls, burning torches and courtyard. It sounds like it may have been a castle."  
  
Dumbledore gave her a small half-smile.  
  
"Very good Miss Granger, we must now search for all castles capable of human inhabitants in the whole of England."  
  
There was a flurry of movement as people grabbed a few books each and began flipping through them.  
  
"What are you going to do Professor?"  
  
Draco asked, noticing Dumbledore had risen to his feet.  
  
"I have leads of my own I must follow up in private. If I have news I shall inform you all."  
  
Tab looked nervously up at him, speaking rapidly as she knew he was close to departure.  
  
"Maybe, Professor, maybe I could try again with the rose and see if I can get a better view of the castle."  
  
He watched her for a few seconds with a slight frown on his face.  
  
"Do you feel up to that, Tabitha?"  
  
He asked gently, already knowing the answer from the determined look in her eyes.  
  
"Yes."  
  
She said firmly, ignoring the stricken looks the Weasley's, Draco and Cliff her.  
  
"Then so be it, I shall return at six o'clock exactly this evening to check our progress."  
  
Dumbledore addressed the room, which immediately fell silent as people stopped calling out for reference books and murmuring to themselves.  
  
"And..."  
  
Everyone once again turned to look at him.  
  
"It's Albus, my friends."  
  
He smiled kindly round at the all before Disapparating with a loud crack.  
  
Draco felt about to explode, there was nothing he could do to help Ginny but search through a bunch of books with no clear idea of what they were looking for! Everyone seemed to be feeling something along these lines as they attacked the books with a frenzy of activity, hardly a word being spoken unless it was to ask for another book, check a fact with the others or tell the group there was nothing in a particular book.  
  
Each time a book was tossed to the side considered useless the group got a little more disheartened and eventually they were all rubbing their eyes and yawning, desperate for sleep but feeling the urge to help Ginny was so strong they wouldn't have been able to sleep anyway.  
  
Draco sighed and dropped another useless book onto the large pile by the fireplace, rubbing his eyes wearing he turned to stare out of the window at the setting sun, wishing more than ever that Ginny could be there to see it with him. He leant his head against the glass in despair and once again fingered the pendant she had given him for his birthday, his one comfort since she'd disappeared. 


	12. An Old Weasley Returns And A New One Arr...

A/N: As always I don't own any of the characters except Tab and Cliff  
  
The lyrics are from 'You First Believed' by Hoku  
  
Well ppl, believe it or not I think this may be the end, yes I don't think there's much more I can do with this so I shall leave it at that. The good news if u like my writing is that I'm planning on writing another DG fic straight away woot!  
  
So R&R plz ppl, enjoy =) cheers babes xx  
  
Chapter Twelve – An Old Weasley Returns And  
A New One Arrives  
  
How many times did I pray  
  
You'd find me  
  
How many wishes on a star  
  
Gazing off into the dark  
  
Dreaming I'd see your face  
  
Safe at home unafraid  
  
Captured in your embrace  
  
"Wait a minute, I think I have something."  
  
Hermione cried excitedly, placing the book on her knee at the relevant page and leaning forward, pointing at a small black dot in the centre so everyone could see.  
  
"What's that meant to be?"  
  
Ron asked, looking down at his feet sheepishly when Hermione sighed impatiently and charmed the page so it grew to twice its size.  
  
"That, Ronald, is a castle."  
  
She flicked her wand at the page again and it zoomed into the area around the castle. She prodded the castle with her wand and a commentary began, sounding very like Professor Binns' History of Magic class.  
  
"... This castle was victim of an angry mob back in the late 1500's when the owner of the castle's young bride was taken captive by the mob..."  
  
An outburst of excited conversations drowned the rest out as people discussed the possibility that this was the castle they were looking for.  
  
"Hermione, I think you found it."  
  
Harry said slowly, his eyes fixed on the castle.  
  
"Are there any pictures?"  
  
Charlie asked, scrabbling around the pile of books nearby in the feeble hope of finding some.  
  
"Yes, here they are."  
  
Hermione pulled out an A4 ring binder folder and flicked through the large black and white pictures of various buildings until she came to some with the same title as the map they were looking at. She charmed these so they were floating before them all and Tab shuddered, she recognised that courtyard all too well, flashes of bodies and blood crossed her mind and she turned away.  
  
"So what are we doing?"  
  
"Where is it?"  
  
"Can we Apparate there?"  
  
Questions fell over one another as people leapt to their feet and began making plans.  
  
"Now wait one minute you can't just go marching into the enemy's territory."  
  
Moody barked making Angelina jump and Ron fall out of his chair.  
  
"Well what should we do then?"  
  
Draco's voice was politely questioning but there was a cold undertone that made Harry shiver.  
  
"We need to work on a plan of action, find out how many he's got on his side and then we'll go in."  
  
Draco was about to retort when Dumbledore Apparated right by his side with a small red leather book in his hands.  
  
"I found the journal, now what have we uncovered so far?'  
  
Hermione showed him the pictures of the castle and the caption under the map they had found and he nodded approvingly.  
  
"Yes this certainly is the castle we are looking for. Now, this journal was in William's possession for a lot longer than the rose so we may be able to gather some more information from it..."  
  
He trailed off when Tab approached him, her face set and her mind obviously made up.  
  
"Are you sure, Tabitha?"  
  
The room fell silent as Tab once more lay down on the mattress, this time with the journal on her chest. Without saying a word they all resumed their seats around Tab, linking hands and keeping their gaze fixed intently on her as Dumbledore began the chant.  
  
Tab opened her eyes and found herself staring through the legs of several chairs. She looked up to see the same long table as last time above had and she crawled out from under it, her eyes sweeping the room taking in the huge black cauldron bubbling over the fire in the fireplace and the crouching minions bustling backwards and forwards from around it.  
  
Tab crept over, waved her wand and produced a replica of the potion they were making from the open book on the low table besides the cauldron. She shoved it into her pocket and quickly left the room, her job was to find out where Ginny was being kept and how many followers William had.  
  
Hearing raised voices she sped up and halted outside a heavy wooden door, peering in through the barred window she saw William climb to his feet before her and lift his bloodied shirt. Ginny backed away, whatever she had seen had obviously spooked her and she dropped the knife she was holding with a loud clatter.  
  
"What the hell are you?"  
  
She whimpered, backing away from him.  
  
"I am life beyond death, love beyond hate. I am more than you could ever imagine."  
  
William clicked his fingers and a crouched minion shot out of the room Tab had just left with something white and lacy thrown over its shoulder. Tab let out a gasp no one heard when she saw it was an exact replica of the dress Jocelyn had worn in her first vision.  
  
The dress was left carefully on the mattress in the corner of the room and Ginny eyed it curiously before speaking.  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
Tab swallowed nervously, recognising the signs that led to a coming explosion. She didn't have long to wait before Ginny lost her temper and started shouting. Tab shook her head fondly and stepped into the room, almost screaming when William walked right through her. She surveyed the room before quickly running to the window to get an idea of her surroundings; the vision was becoming blurred and she knew she didn't have long. The familiar view from the window made her shudder and she moved away quickly, walking right past the still arguing forms of Ginny and William.  
  
She wandered all over the castle, making a note of each of William's followers she passed for Moody. Finally she reached the ground floor and she crossed the courtyard nervously, looking up she realised that anyone trying to get in from here would be noticeable only from Ginny's room as it was the only window facing that way whereas the main gate on the other side was in plain sight of the room the potion was being brewed in.  
  
"Tab? What did you see?"  
  
Cliff's concerned voice penetrated the vision and she snapped her eyes shut, only opening them again when the lingering smell of the castle had disappeared. The occupants of Sparrow House were staring at her eagerly and she quickly relayed her story, pulling out the crumpled copy of the potion that had luckily taken on all of William's notes around the edges.  
  
"And how many did you see there?"  
  
Moody demanded, a plan of action already half formed in his mind as he took in all the details.  
  
"Not many, between a dozen and twenty I'd say."  
  
Tab replied, looking down at the scribbled tally chart on her hand.  
  
"Well they should be easy enough to overcome."  
  
Moody muttered, more to himself than anyone else as he went back to figuring out his plan.  
  
"You saw Ginny?"  
  
Draco asked quietly, his hand once more fiddling with the chain around his neck, Tab turned to look at him slowly before nodding her head.  
  
"Yes."  
  
A slight smile lit up her face.  
  
"She was fighting with him."  
  
The Weasley's exchanged proud looks but Tab had something that was playing on her mind.  
  
"Pro... Albus."  
  
She said hesitantly in an undertone to Professor Dumbledore, he turned to study her, nodding for her to speak.  
  
"Well, Ginny stabbed William, but he healed himself."  
  
Although she was speaking in just above a whisper the room fell silent and turned to look at her as she spoke.  
  
"Did it leave any marks?"  
  
Snape asked urgently, exchanging a glance with McGonagall.  
  
"Yes, a little white scar where she stabbed him, why?"  
  
Tab asked, confused as to why this would be relevant.  
  
"There is another dark potion that can be made that upon consumption will heal any wound inflicted."  
  
Snape replied, not looking up as he studied the copy of the potion Tab had brought back.  
  
"You seem to know an awful lot about these powerful dark potions."  
  
Sirius said loudly, making everyone jump, Harry put a restraining hand on his Godfather's arm when Snape glared at him challengingly.  
  
"We do not have time for this."  
  
Dumbledore said firmly, shooting them both warning glances before turning to Snape.  
  
"Severus, is there any way to stop this potion?"  
  
Snape didn't take his eyes of Sirius as he nodded.  
  
"Yes, there is a potion that must be made which only needs to come in contact with the subject."  
  
Ron interrupted him here earning himself a poisonous glance in reply.  
  
"So he won't have to drink it?"  
  
Snape shook his head, his upper lip curling into an all too familiar sneer.  
  
"No. As I was saying, once the potion has touched the subject, in this case William, a counter curse must be uttered."  
  
He waved his wand lightly in the air and a piece of parchment appeared with a few scribbled shapes across it, Hermione took the page and studied it carefully. Being the only one who had taken Ancient Runes at Hogwarts she was the only one there besides Dumbledore and Snape able to read it.  
  
"So that's it? Was there no other protection around the castle?"  
  
Moody growled incredulously, his magical eye swirling around to look at Tab through the back of his head. She shook her head and pointed over to Hermione who was gazing at the photos eagerly.  
  
"Sir, Alastor..."  
  
She stammered as both his eyes turned to look at her.  
  
"It says in the book that there was a very ancient spell cast on the castle years before William's family lived there that prevented any other spells being put on the castle no matter what."  
  
Dumbledore nodded in agreement, turning to Moody and speaking up.  
  
"Which is probably why the angry mob that invaded weren't detected long before they got close enough to do any damage. No I think we're safe on that front Alastor."  
  
He grunted and waved the moving diagrams he had created before the group.  
  
"Now, here's our plan of attack."  
  
Ron and Hermione were still busy arguing an hour later while the group were preparing themselves for the ordeal ahead.  
  
"You... are... pregnant."  
  
Ron snarled at Hermione who was defiantly shrinking the piece of parchment with the counter curse written on it and tucking it into her jacket pocket.  
  
"I don't care Ron, I can do this honestly."  
  
Ron was not the only one who was against Hermione coming along on such a dangerous task but in the end they compromised; Hermione would stay with one of the larger groups rather than staying in a pair as the rest were.  
  
Mrs Weasley was still trying to talk her into remaining behind with Angelina and herself preparing themselves for any injuries the others might return with when the time had come to set off.  
  
"I'll be alright Mrs Weasley, I promise."  
  
Hermione gave her future mother-in-law one last comforting hug goodbye before Apparating along with the others to the blustery moors outside the castle.  
  
The group ducked behind the old walls of the castle and hurriedly whispered last minute instructions, checking everyone knew where to be at exactly the right time before they bade each other farewell and split up into their assigned pairs. Harry, Ron, Draco and Hermione's task was to get Ginny out of her prison while the others took care of William's followers. Dumbledore, Snape, Sirius and Lupin were going to find William and stop him.  
  
Ron clutched Hermione's free hand in his own as the crept up staircase after staircase looking for Ginny's room. They finally found her after about ten minutes of silent cursing and fruitless searching.  
  
"Draco!"  
  
Ginny gasped, flinging herself on him and kissing his lips frantically while the others sent a set of sparks flying down the stairs to tell the others they had Ginny.  
  
Hermione screamed when William came barging into the room, frothing at the mouth with blood all over his clothes and his eyes rolling crazily.  
  
"Get away from her!"  
  
He screamed at the four intruders, lunging at them and only just being pulled back in time when Sirius dove at him and rugby tackled him onto the floor. The pair of them were rolling over and over while the others stared on in horror when the rest of Sirius' group came racing into the room panting. Snape tossed the potion at William and it smashed all over his back, burning a through his shirt and seeping into his back.  
  
Hermione regained her senses and quickly yanked the counter curse out of her jacket pocket, sprinting over to Dumbledore and Snape who both began to read over her shoulder, their powerful voices joining her lower breathless one.  
  
Draco grabbed Ginny by the arm and yanked her out of the way when William rolled across the floor towards them, his wand pointing at Draco.  
  
"I'll kill you!"  
  
He hollered opening his mouth to bellow the killing curse but instead falling face down on the floor with a nasty sounding crack. Looking up they all saw Ron had slammed a heavy rock into his face before he could kill Draco, knocking William out.  
  
"You saved me?'  
  
Draco mumbled in amazement at Ron who flushed, still glaring down at William.  
  
"Yeah well don't get used to it."  
  
He muttered shrugging, refusing to look up at Draco who was grinning broadly now.  
  
"Can we just get out of here?"  
  
Ginny pleaded, her face buried in Draco's shoulder as she clung to him. They all nodded in silent agreement and trailed outside to where the rest of the group were sat panting in the courtyard, McGonagall's glasses dangling off her face, only hanging on by one ear and the others with various cuts and bruises.  
  
Ginny turned to Draco and smiled shyly, he pulled her into his embrace and sighed contentedly into her hair, turning her face away from the sight of William being levitated out of the castle doors, bound and still unconscious by Moody and Lupin.  
  
"I thought I'd lost you."  
  
He said softly into her cloud of matted ref hair, his hand trembling as he stroked her neck.  
  
"For a while there you almost did."  
  
She replied, leaning out of his arms so she could look up at his face.  
  
"Do you want to know how you kept me alive in there?"  
  
He nodded and smiled gently down at her;  
  
"Some other time."  
  
He pulled her towards him and buried his lips in hers; losing himself in a kiss he never thought he'd have again. Ginny pushed herself up onto her tiptoes and deepened the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning into him.  
  
"Err... guys?"  
  
The pair of them ignored whoever was trying to speak to them.  
  
"GUYS!"  
  
They broke away angrily but didn't look around; Draco rested his forehead against Ginny's who was licking her lips, her eyes on his lips once more.  
  
"Look guys, I hate to interrupt 'Gone With The Wind' but we have a serious problem here and Ron is about to explode."  
  
They both turned to look at Tab who was bouncing up and down waving her arms trying to get their attention.  
  
"What problem?"  
  
Ginny sighed, looking incredulously at her best friend with a vivid red eyebrow raised. Tab shrugged her shoulders sarcastically and replied coolly;  
  
"Oh nothing much, Hermione's just in labour that's all."  
  
Draco and Ginny exchanged a blank look before turning got stare at Ron who was running backwards and forwards like a headless chicken with Hermione in his arms. Everyone immediately sprang into action, Apparating in a large group back to Sparrow House with the exception of Moody who had taken William to the Ministry of Magic.  
  
"Ginny!"  
  
Mrs Weasley and Angelina screamed, throwing themselves on Ginny who hugged them both quickly before shoving them off and pointing at Hermione.  
  
Mrs Weasley sized the situation up immediately and ordered Bill and Charlie to fetch hot water and plenty of towels.  
  
"Mum? St Mungo's..."  
  
Ron trailed off weakly at the look on his mothers face and went back to stroking Hermione's hair from where she was lying on the large hospital bed Dumbledore had conjured. She was panting heavily and had almost broken his hand squeezing it at each contraction.  
  
"I think we'll just..."  
  
Fred and George said in unison, giving up on an excuse and bolting for the door.  
  
"Yeah us too."  
  
Every other male in the room ran towards the door and collapsed on to the stairs with Fred and George who were looking very white. Seconds later Dumbledore, Bill and Charlie joined them without saying a word. They sat there for what seemed like hours and probably was but as none of them were wearing watches they couldn't tell until Hermione's screams of pain got louder and Tonks, Tab, Ginny, McGonagall and Angelina's trips outside to report excitedly were getting more frequent.  
  
"We can see the head."  
  
Ginny cried, jumping up and down as he dashed towards the men sat on the stairs. Another scream of agony from Hermione made her turn pale and race back into the room.  
  
A little while later they all froze when a baby's cries rang throughout the house and a thoroughly over-emotional Ron walked shakily over to them, pushing his hair out of his face with a trembling hand and collapsing onto the bottom stair in front of Harry and Sirius.  
  
"I'm a father."  
  
He repeated over and over, staring down at the floor with a foolish sort of grin on his face. Harry clapped him on the back and rose to his feet, cautiously poking his head into the drawing room.  
  
"It's safe."  
  
He reported to the others before wandering into the room and kneeling down next to an exhausted Hermione.  
  
"Well done."  
  
He said softly, kissing her damp forehead and stroking the little baby's head. She already had a slight mop of smooth dark red hair and when Ron knelt besides Harry and placed one arm around Hermione, and a large hand on the baby's little stomach, she opened her mother's huge hazel eyes and stared inquisitively around at them all.  
  
Ginny and Angelina were sobbing on each others shoulders while Draco patted Ginny's shoulder, unaware what all the tears were for; shouldn't they have been happy?  
  
"Uh-oh."  
  
George snorted, nudging Fred in the ribs when Angelina shot him a suggestive look.  
  
Bill and Charlie stifled their laughter at the stunned look on their brother's face before looking round warily at Mrs Weasley and McGonagall who were sniffling on each others shoulders.  
  
"Wow."  
  
Was all Sirius would say when he took in the amount of blood stained towels and the sate of Mrs Weasley's bloodied clothes.  
  
"Alicks, this is your Godparent's; Harry Potter and Nymphadora Tonks."  
  
Hermione said gently, shifting the baby slightly so she could look at a furiously flushing yet strangely proud Harry and Tonks who was willing to let the mention of her real name slip as she beamed with pride at Hermione.  
  
Draco looked shiftily at Ginny who was wiping away the last of her tears now and leaning against him as Angelina and Fred had disappeared.  
  
"You're not ready for a family are you?'  
  
He asked uncertainly, watching her with a little relief when she shook her head.  
  
"Not yet anyway."  
  
She said softly, leaning back against him as he wrapped his arms around her waist and joined the rest of the room in watching the happy new family proudly.  
  
"Well we must be going, but it was a pleasure to meet this new addition to such an extraordinary family as the Weasley's."  
  
Dumbledore said, making no attempt to hide his own tears as he removed all the books and maps they had used and all the extra furniture besides Hermione's bed with a flick of his wand and beckoning to his two professors. They bade their farewells and Disapparated with a loud crack that made baby Alicks jump.  
  
"Well we have a lot of planning to do; I want Alicks christened before the wedding."  
  
Hermione made them all jump when she spoke suddenly from her bed.  
  
"Hermione, aren't you exhausted after all that?"  
  
Ron asked in a curious voice that made him sound like he was being strangled.  
  
"Not at all. In fact I'm already planning the next one."  
  
Hermione replied cheerfully. Ron ignored the nudge Harry gave him in the robs and looked uncertainly down at his numb hand where Hermione's nail marks were still flashing red and he gulped. 


End file.
